Team WOLF
by RorickTrevelyan
Summary: Team RWBY has been ordered to shadow a third year team, Team WOLF, searching for the source of an outburst of angry giant Grimm. Ruby and Wyatt will have to work against common enemies and help resolve Wyatt's past. Rated M for language and dark themes. Mostly OC based, there will be a pairing but romance isn't the main plot. Reviews are appreciated!
1. A Hunter's Dawn

_A/N: Welcome to my very first RWBY fan fiction!_

 _So first I want to say that this story will feature an original team, Team WOLF and like most characters in the RWBY franchise, the characters are based off people and characters from outside sources. I want to break those down and say that there are things that are mentioned and written about that are meant as references._

 _Wyatt is based off of Old Western gunslingers, but mostly off of Firefly's Malcolm Reynolds._

 _Orion is based off of, well, Orion. He's taking inspiration from all ancient hunters and the dry wit of Wash from Firefly._

 _Leah is based off of the Maori Warrior's and the Haka chants._

 _Fang is based off of Bruce Lee, and Firefly's River Tam._

 _I do appreciate reviews and constructive criticism. Thank you and enjoy!_

Team WOLF

"Are you sure you want to send a first year team with them?" Glynda asked.

"Well look at the facts, team RWBY has knowledge and insight right now that Mr. James needs, and it may be a chance to circumvent a portion of the plans against us," Ozpin answered with a sip of his coffee. "Besides at worst we rid ourselves of a Grimm infestation."

"I'll alert the teams and get an airship ready," Glynda said with a bow.

"I'd also put Mr. James on alert," Ozpin warned. Glynda nodded and made her exit. Ozpin turned in his chair and watched the billowing forest underneath him with a sigh.

XXX

"We're going on a mission! We're going on a mission!" Ruby happily chanted as they packed their bags and weapons.

"More importantly, we're going with a third-year team!" Weiss said. "Can you imagine what we'll be able to learn from them?"

"And their team has a Faunus!" Blake said happily. The others were quiet. "What? I wanted someone else to talk to." She shrugged and resumed packing.

"Do you know what team it is Ruby?" Yang asked. Ruby who hadn't finished her happy skipping remembered and decided to more happy skipping.

"We're going with Team WOLF!" She squealed and kept jumping. But the others were silent. "You guys don't know who Team WOLF is?" She asked.

"I was under the impression we were going with Team GOLD, or Team DEAR." Weiss said.

"Nope! It's Team WOLF!" Ruby kept up her happy dance. "They are one of the coolest teams ever! Their team leader Wyatt has the schools record for the fastest target run and the quick draw contest! And their tracker Orion actually hunts for himself and his food!"

"Sounds like a fun team," Yang said as she slung her bag on her shoulders. "You girls comin' or what?" They quickly finished packing and were out the door after her.

"So, Ruby what are we doing with them?" Blake asked.

"Professor Ozpin told us we're chasing down an Ursa pack that's getting too close to the city."

"And we're shadowing a third year team because?"

Ruby shrugged. In truth Ruby knew exactly what they were doing.

XXX

"Ah, Ruby, right on time." Ozpin greeted her as she skipped in. Ozpin could never understand how she seemed so innocent. It truly belied her surroundings and wishes. He was almost envious.

"Yes sir," Ruby said with a salute.

"This is Wyatt James of Team WOLF." Ozpin stood as the older man looked at her. Early 20's for sure and well above 6', Ruby had to look up to him. Not by much, but enough. His blue jeans were the only bit of color besides gray he wore. His poncho actually covered most of him. It looked uncomfortable to fight in. Ruby could also see the revolvers holstered at his side. She'd spent hours watching videos of him drawing those pistols in the various contests he was in. He slipped his hat off and gave a short bow jerking her out of her stupor.

"It's an honor, Madam. I've heard a lot about you. Shame we've never met before." He had a thick accent. Ruby knew it as the accents she'd heard in the deserts of Atlas. The people there always spoke with one, but his was more toned down probably from his time at Beacon. Ruby wanted to respond but she had a hard time.

"CAN I HAVE YOUR AUTOGRAPH?!" She asked suddenly, furiously digging around her pockets for a small notepad. Wyatt chuckled a bit and obliged.

"I see what you mean, Professor." He said quietly.

"Now your two teams are going to embark on a mission in which both of you have personal ties." Ozpin pulled up a picture, Ruby instantly identified it as did Wyatt only he with a growl.

"What has Roman done now?" Wyatt asked.

"We believe there is a compound hidden somewhere within the forests of Southern Vale, and it's affecting the Grimm there."

"With all due respect professor, this doesn't explain why my team is needed. I could very easily send Orion with them," Wyatt confirmed.

"Because someone positively identified this man as being seen with them." Professor Ozpin held out a file toward him and Wyatt's face paled.

"You're sure?"

"Twice over."

"When do we leave?"

"Tomorrow, at noon."

"Seems like half my life has revolved around high noon," he said as he left. Ruby also gave a bow and left. "Ruby, if you don't mind I'd like to make a request."

XXX

"Well we're here, where are they?" Yang asked. She slipped her sunglasses off and made a quick scan over her surroundings.

"Well we are early." Weiss confirmed with her pocket watch. Ruby, still mindful of Wyatt's request, kept silent until Blake heard something.

"Duck!" She pushed Yang out of the way in time just as Ruby and Weiss dove away. A large row of ice spikes grew from where they were standing and Blake saw an arrow flying for her head just as she stood up. After a clean slice she saw a leaping figure with more arrows aimed her way.

Weiss went to help but she had to protect herself as a falling person garnered her interest. A protective glyph later and she saw the woman charging her slam down on top of it with her weapon. Weiss' glyph held up, but barely. She pushed away and knocked the woman back but she came back a second later with an even heavier strike.

Yang had her hands full with a lithe woman charging her with her bare hands. Yang couldn't even hit her, she blocked every strike and hit just as hard as Yang was hitting her. Yang charged for a punch and even though she connected, the woman kicked her just as hard. Team RWBY sat panting for a moment as the others girded for another attack.

"Hold!" A voice called out. The others looked back and disengaged. The woman in front of Yang bowed and returned a big smile as she strode over to the man walking towards them. The man simply started clapping. "Well done!" He said with a chuckle. "I am genuinely astonished, and impressed."

"Well it wasn't that good, Wyatt." The archer said.

"You didn't get to watch Orion." He turned to Ruby and took his hat off. "Thank you for your cooperation Ruby." He looked over and nudged the archer who still had a baseball cap on.

"What?" He asked. Wyatt pointed at his hat and Orion sighed. "None of them care!" He muttered after he took off his hat.

"Wait Ruby you knew about this?" Weiss asked.

"What, Wyatt asked me not to tell you, besides I can definitely say you all looked great!" Ruby said with excitement.

"Apologies for the sudden outburst, but I wanted an up close look of what we'd be working with. And I'd say it was a success." He put his hat back on and extended his hands to the young women. "My name is Wyatt James, it's a pleasure to meet you all."

"Wait, Wyatt James, the son of Earl James?" Weiss asked. She noticed too late the younger woman trying to silence her. Wyatt grimaced but kept his smile.

"Yes, you must be Madam Schnee, the Schnee corporation was always a big favorite of my father." The two stared at each other with the younger woman still trying to get Weiss to shut up.

"It's is quite brave of you to be here."

"Yes it is," Wyatt said with smirk.

"And you have no fear of what could happen?"

"What's life without a little risk?"

"For you? Much safer."

"Well good thing Earl's got no say from his new home." He turned then to Blake then eyed her bow expectantly. "And you must be Madam Belladonna." She nodded and shook his hand. "And you are?" He turned to Yang with the same hand, but she grabbed it in a death grip.

"Yang Xiao Long, Ruby's older sister and puncher extraordinaire." Wyatt pulled back his hand and shook it vigorously.

"I'll remember that. Ow." He took a step back and introduced the rest of his team. "This is Orion Artis, our team's hunter and tracker." Orion took a step forward and nodded in their directions before walking back. His black baseball cap didn't do a good job of his messy brown hair, it looked like he cut it himself, and after what Ruby told them it could be the truth. The rest of his attire had definitely seen better days, but it was at least clean. His armor was light and was handmade, and his bow hung proudly on his back collapsed inside his quiver.

"This is Leah Whiti, our team's warrior." She took a salute on her chest and stood back. She wore what looked like hide armor and the club on her back and that was it. Her hair was braided tightly in one single braid, and the paint and tattoos shone on her dark skin. She stood a little shorter than Orion, but was twice his width. Weiss clearly understood why her glyph nearly shattered.

"And this is Fang, my little sister." He ruffled her hair and she squirmed to escape it. "She's a master in hand-to-hand." Wyatt said proudly while placing an elbow on her head. She glared and gave a quick strike to his ribs. "And apparently I'll never learn," he muttered. She had probably the wildest hair they'd ever seen. Brightly colored with a slew of different colors, but the red and green shone out the most. She didn't braid it or put it up, she let it flow out freely. She wore sleeveless robes and had odd designs on her arms but the smile on her face reminded them of their fearless leader, only Fang had a large pair of fangs. "She doesn't speak much Common unfortunately."

Blake was excited about meeting a new Faunus but something didn't sit right with her, as the others mingled she pulled Wyatt aside.

"Is Fang a Faunus?" she asked.

"Yes she is, and before you ask, yes, she knows. But there's something here that you need to know." He pulled out a few papers, old by the looks. "By all these accounts Fang is a Draconus."

"That's impossible, Draconus have been extinct for centuries."

"That's what I thought until I looked at the facts, when she uses her semblance or her weapon, her hair adds more colors. That's why we taught her martial arts, so that we could understand what she is before something bad happened to her. I have a special assignment for you. Just keep an eye on her, I'll be giving her full use of her sword for the mission. If something happens, please do your best to work with it and see what you can find out."

"Okay." Blake nodded and rejoined the crowd. She did a double take when Yang and Wyatt smiled at each other but he quickly moved past her to talk to Orion.

"Alright, now that we're all caught up, let's get on board and get this mission started!" Ruby shouted gleefully. The airship took off and soon the two teams were deep in their intelligence.

"So Ruby and I met with Professor Ozpin yesterday morning," Wyatt began. "Team RWBY was chosen because of past experience with this man." Wyatt threw a few images from his scroll onto the board and their stomachs churned. "Roman Torchwick has once again proven his lack of intelligence by not only building and using a base deep in the Southern Forests, he has also agitated Grimm to the point of aggressive conflict." He sat back down in front of the others. "Now my question is what would he be doing out here in the first place?"

"We know he has connections with the White Fang, leading them and using them for his goals," Blake answered. "He also has experience rousing the Grimm for various purposes, such as the attack in Mid-city."

"That could explain the Grimm situation," Orion muttered. "But then why would he purposely agitate them?"

"Potentially for the same reasons he did the last time. Relentless assaults on Vale and the surrounding Kingdoms," Weiss answered.

"But that doesn't explain the base." Leah rubbed the back of her neck and toyed with the braid on the hilt of her club. Wyatt stood up and moved around the group.

"At any case, we'll get more intel when we actually get down there. First I want to set up some ground rules. Number one: I don't want Orion or Blake taking any rounds of watch at night, these two are the ones that will be tracking and I want their minds sharp, the rest of us can handle it. Are we all agreed?"

They all nodded.

"Good number two: Ruby and I have agreed that should we encounter Torchwick at any time, you will all take orders from your respective team leaders, otherwise as the senior team I will be leading us through the mission. Clear?"

Another round of nods.

"Are there any more questions?" Weiss raised her hand.

"If we encounter Grimm during the trek who will take care of them."

"Split up, don't expend too much energy on one Grimm, work together to take them down," Wyatt answered. "Anyone else?" They shook their heads. "Good, now our ETA is 20 minutes. Take the time to get to know each other and specifically your abilities. Fang, I'll need to talk to you for a minute." Fang nodded and skipped over to meet with Orion. Blake took her chance to watch him hand her a Chinese broadsword. It was beautifully carved with nine rings across the spine of the blade and a long flowing scarf attached to the hilt. Soon after Fang returned with a skip and smile. She was reminiscent of Ruby when Blake first met her.

"So Leah? Is that your real name?" Weiss asked.

"Yes, why do you ask?" She had a chill in her tone that unnerved Weiss.

"It's just I had a friend named Leah, and I had wondered if it was just a coincidence."

"Well actually her real name is a twenty syllable long amalgamation of letters, but we shortened it to Leah when she joined up because it's easier to say in the heat of missions," Orion interrupted. Leah glared at him and Orion shut up.

"Well what is your real name? I'm sure I could pronounce it," Weiss said confidently.

"Lea'han'khalad'ashanta'kahdal," she said quickly. Weiss blinked a few times and tried to repeat it with no success. "Just say Leah, it's shorter." She said.

"I will learn it, I promise." Weiss tried to make it better.

"Thank you." Leah said. Weiss could swear she almost cracked a smile.

"That's an interesting weapon, what is it?" Ruby asked. Leah spun it in her hands for a moment before slamming the top down.

"It is my battle club, an heirloom of our clan." It stood about five feet long, and was carved with immense detail. Along the edges of the club were rows of what looked like sharpened teeth, serrated and ready for war. "In truth it was not supposed to go to me, my older brother was set to take the club."

"I'm sorry." Ruby tried hard to change the subject. "Where did you get the armor?" The team fully absorbed what her armor really looked like. Tanned black hide covered the majority of her chest and legs, small armbands with talons covered parts of her arms, and long black feathers stuck in her braid.

"From Grimm I have killed." Her blunt answer shocked the other team, and Orion couldn't help chuckle when they did. "The fur and leather are from Ursa, the talons and feathers are from Nevermore, and the teeth on the edges of my club are from Beowolves." Orion kept laughing at the shocked expressions of the other team.

"I'm sorry," he said nearly in tears. "But their horrified faces!" Leah just clocked him on the back of the head. "OW!"

"Behave." Leah told him.

"Is it true you hunt for yourself Orion?" Blake asked trying to change the subject again. He rubbed the back of his head as he shot a nasty glare to Leah.

"Yes. But not for food, like Leah I use parts of Grimm to make my arrows." He pulled a few out of his quiver. "Deathstalker spines make really good shafts for the arrows, they're really solid and able to take the punishment, Nevermore feathers make for great fletcher materials, and I use Beowolf teeth for the arrow heads."

"Cool." Ruby said straining to keep herself calm.

"Are we like famous to you or something?" Wyatt finally asked.

"Don't mind her she's wanted to be a huntress since she could say the word, and that's not an exaggeration." Yang said with a smirk. "So she's just _a huntin'_ for punishment!" She cracked her grin and did her thumbs up. "Eh? Eh?" The others just groaned except Wyatt who cackled with laughter.

"Oh no, there are two of them." Leah said with her hands across her face.

"Two what?" Weiss asked.

"Two people that think puns are funny."

"What they are!" Wyatt and Yang defended.

"So Fang, who did your hair?" Weiss asked loudly to move the subject away. She opened her mouth to speak but paused and strained.

"It is," she said. She was still thinking. "Natural?" she said almost asking if it was the right word. She looked to Wyatt who gave her the thumbs up and she was visibly pleased.

"Really?" Weiss asked. Fang just nodded. "Does she speak any more Common?"

"No, she doesn't really speak that much to begin with." Wyatt ruffled her hair again and she stuck her tongue out. "But she's proven herself as a fighter, I couldn't be prouder."

"So were you accepted to Beacon early too?" Ruby asked.

"Actually _I_ was accepted late, I joined when I was 21 instead of applying at 19. Hence why my little sister is on my team." Wyatt looked out the window and cracked a smile. "Ladies and gentlemen, we have arrived." They collectively looked out upon a vast and dense forest. Orion looked at it like it was home.

XXX

"He escaped again!" the voice called out. Orion kept running, he had an advantage when he was going through the forest. By the time he finally reached his home he was grabbed and pushed against a tree.

"Let me go!" he commanded, kicking the mans shins. "I have to go home!"

"We will take you home, but you can't keep running back into the woods, it's not safe!" the man pleaded. Orion managed to get away and kept running until he was tackled.

"Get off me!" He struggled again until tears formed.

"Get off of him." A woman's voice rang through and the man was off him. Orion took his chance and began to run again until she stepped in front of him. She had to be at least 30, a teacher maybe.

She had reading glasses, and her attire matched the part. But what gave her away was the chalk on one of her buttons.

"You're from Signal aren't you?" Orion asked.

"Yes. I am Glynda Goodwitch, and you must be Mr. Artis." She said. "Why do you keep running away?"

"I only ran to the city to tell them my sister got sick, but when she died they tried to take me away!"

"Who did?"

"These guys." He pointed to the men who had been pursuing him.

"Why do you keep coming back out here?"

"Cause it's my home."

"Well, can you take me there?" she asked.

"You'll just drag me back," Orion said.

"I won't unless I feel I have to." Glynda said. "So if you can show me, I might not have to take you back." Orion contemplated before he stood back up and started to lead her.

"Are you sure this is a good idea ma'am?" one man asked.

"If it stops you idiots from tackling a 12 year old then yes," she said with a firm tone. Orion couldn't help but laugh a bit.

Glynda had seen a lot in her life, from the huntsmen she trained, to the monsters she had to fight. But she was still shocked with what she saw. The house this young boy had built himself was hidden deep in the heavy forests. High up in the trees and stashed away enough to stay hidden.

"Before we go up I need to do something." Orion took the flowers from his backpack and knelt down to the three large stones in the ground. "Hi mom, hi dad, hi Thena." Glynda felt her stomach tighten at what the boy was doing. "Sorry I'm late, I just got out again. There's a nice woman here, she says she might be able to help." Glynda again felt sick to her stomach watching this poor boy. "Well you ready to go up?" He pulled the rope down and climbed up with incredible speed. Glynda used her abilities to fly up and see his home. "I didn't build all of it, but I've made as many adjustments as I've needed too."

"Thena was your sister wasn't she?" Glynda asked after a moment of silence.

"Yeah, that's the only reason I came to the city, I thought I could help."

"You did the right thing." Glynda struggled with the thoughts of tearing him away from here. But this part of the forest was full of Grimm, and she wasn't sure she trusted his ability to survive.

"Wait!" Orion said. He paused for a moment and then hurriedly grabbed his quiver. She watched the bow emerge and ready an arrow for him as he took aim down the path. Glynda watched as four Beowolves came down the path, sniffing along the ground hungrily. Orion had a full draw and waited until one had just raised it's head.

Glynda wanted to stop the boy but he'd already killed one before she had even registered the thought. He drew another arrow and when one gave a howl he killed it as well. The other two charged the trees but Orion was ready as his bow turned into two small hand axes. He dove from the tree and fell on one of them hard enough to decapitate it. The other one fell in a similar fashion. He panted for a moment before taking out his knife and harvesting the teeth from the two he'd killed by the trees. He also retrieved the two arrows from the other Beowolves he'd killed and began to carve the teeth into arrow heads.

"Where did you learn to do this?"

"Thena taught me to hunt and to harvest what I needed. I have meat stored away in one of the rooms for later and as many pelts as I need to make new clothes and blankets."

"Did she teach you to use the bow you have?" Glynda asked.

"Well I had a wooden one for a while. This used to be hers."

"What happened to her?"

"She got scratched by a Nevermore, then she got really sick."

"Is that what happened to your mother and father?"

"No Thena never told me what happened to them. She said I'd know when I was ready." They were silent for a bit longer.

"You said you knew about Signal academy?"

"I don't want to go," he said bluntly.

"Why not?"

"I belong here with Thena."

"Thena would have wanted what was best for you, we can teach you to better your already great talents," she said. He stayed silent as he kept carving the teeth. "I can't say for sure what she wanted, but I know that we can help you if you want."

"As long as I can visit, and keep their graves clean and away from scavengers."

"I can arrange that."

"I'll pack up tomorrow morning and be back in town, will you be there?"

"Absolutely," she said. "Are you ready to become a huntsmen?"

XXX

"Orion?" Ruby asked again. He snapped out of his daze and looked back at her and the others moving the gear out of the ship.

"Hmm?" he asked as he shook his head.

"I asked why you wanted to become a huntsmen, but if you don't want to say you don't have to."

"No it's okay. I spent so long fighting for my own survival that when I realized I could fight for others' survival I took the chance. It's what my older sister did for me."

"That cool!" Ruby said. Orion smirked as he packed up his belongings.

"I thought so."

XXX

 _Thank you so much for reading the first chapter of Team WOLF, I do appreciate Reviews and thanks again for reading it, and I'll see you next time!_


	2. Guns Blazing!

_A/N: Welcome back! This is an exciting chapter if not a little shorter than the last. This chapter reveals a pairing! Romance isn't the main point of this story but I believe it makes a great addition to the story. Thanks again for reading and enjoy!_

XXX

"Alright, we're going to set a base camp here for now," Wyatt ordered. "I want a twenty meter perimeter set up, Fang and Blake, you two can do that." Both Fang and Blake set off. "Yang, you and Leah work on getting firewood and places for us to sit, Orion?" he called out. Orion was watching the woods on a perch.

"Yeah?" he answered.

"You can go do what you need to do. How long?" Wyatt asked.

"30 minutes tops."

"Go ahead." With that Orion scampered off as the others set up the camp. An hour later they had their little base set up with 2 people on watch at all times. Wyatt was on his scroll and papers doing research with Ruby, while the others were conversing by the time Orion came back. "I thought you said 30 minutes."

"I got a tad distracted, on the bright side." He threw down a deer. "I got dinner."

"Guess I can't complain then." Orion started preparations and soon they had what Ruby adequately described as the best meal they'd ever eaten.

"So I guess this is normal for you Orion?" Blake asked.

"More or less, though it would usually take me a good hour and a half if I was by myself."

"Alright, we've got about an hour until we need to go to bed, who'll take first watch?" Wyatt asked. Ruby eagerly raised her hand. "Alright, how about Ruby, then Weiss, then I'll take last watch. Fair?" They all nodded. "Alright, we'll start bright and early tomorrow morning." Wyatt stood up and made his rounds as the others conversed.

"So I noticed you haven't asked us about our abilities," Weiss said.

"Well that's because all we have to do is watch the news and we see all we have to," Leah countered. Ruby and her team collectively gulped.

"Don't get us wrong, it's impressive, it's just we didn't have teams like that when we started.," Orion assured.

"Like what?" Blake asked nervously.

"Teams that actually did stuff like that, I mean we had Team SLKE, but even then they had everything set against them from the get go, cause of Stele." Orion said. The conversation kept going as one by one they fell asleep. Ruby made her rounds as she watched the forest move with the wind. She was so lost in the movements she was shocked when Orion approached her. She jumped and armed herself quickly until she saw who it was.

"Sorry, Orion!" She said quietly trying to put her weapon away.

"No, it's alright. I was just gonna say, if you want you can head to bed. Weiss's up next."

"Thanks Orion, have a good night," Ruby went to her tent and began making her bed when something caught her eye. Yang slowly tiptoed away from the campsite, trying desperately not to wake anyone up. Ruby would have just chocked it up to bathroom troubles, except she had her gauntlets in her hand. Yang usually didn't bother. Ruby decided it wouldn't hurt to make sure. Yang had been going slowly to make sure she didn't wake anyone, but once a good distance past the camp she just began walking. Ruby kept her distance but still kept on her. Soon they came on a rocky overlook that had a view of the whole forest. Ruby could even see pieces of Vale breaking through on the horizon. Yang walked calmly toward the figure standing on the edge of the overlook. Ruby positioned herself in a tree by the outlook looking down on her.

"What you aren't worried I'd just push you off?" Yang asked. The figure stood and once the hat replaced itself on his head Ruby knew it as Wyatt.

"Nah, I'm too fast." Wyatt hugged her tightly then sat back down with his weapons.

"What's all this?" Yang asked sitting next to him.

"Just cleaning them and refilling my dust capsules. Ursa don't like fire very much." Ruby could hear the smirk in his voice. "You should probably be sleeping, we'll have a full day ahead of us."

"I couldn't resist being able to see you again, what has it been three months since I've gotten to kiss you?" Ruby stifled a gasp as she planted a big kiss on his cheek.

"More or less." he said with a chuckle. He turned and kissed her softly on the lips, again Ruby had to stifle her amazement.

"It's not fair!" Yang said as she gently pushed him.

"What?" he asked laughing.

"You make me feel all girly, and I'm not!"

"Well how's that my fault?"

"Cause only you make me feel that way." She kissed his cheek again. "How long has it been?"

"About a year now."

"That's impressive for me."

"Why's that?" he asked.

"Because I used to be the queen of one night stands, I never wanted anything permanent."

"Why?" He clicked the clip in and took aim.

"Cause I wanted to be free, I didn't want to be tied down with anything or anyone," Yang admitted.

"I felt kind of the same for a while, but for a different reason." He pulled out the other revolver and began the process again.

"Why?"

"I've seen a lot of people die. Too many really," he said. "I didn't want to get attached just to watch them die." He holstered his revolvers and stood up. "I went a long way to trust no one."

"What changed?"

"A hot-headed blonde with lilac eyes." Ruby again heard the smirk.

"Yeah, yeah," she said as she stood up. "You know I never got that dance from you," she gloated. "I know you got pulled on a mission at the last second, but I was looking forward to it."

"Now however could I fix that?" He walked toward her and spun her around with her hands. "Well here's one idea." They began a slow dance in the moonlight. Ruby sighed at the gushy scene and tried her best not to squeal.

"See what I mean, you make me feel girly, you almost make me feel like-RUBY?!" Yang flew away from Wyatt leaving him to fall on his rear, and Ruby from the shock of hearing her name yelled out fell out of the tree she was resting in.

"Ow." Ruby muttered. Soon they were all standing in a small circle and Yang blushing like crazy. Wyatt wasn't sure what to do with his hands and Ruby was nursing the bruise she'd just acquired.

"How long were you up there?!" Yang asked.

"Since before the dance."

"Crap," Wyatt muttered.

"Why are you two so nervous?"

"Well you've heard that we've been together for almost a year, do the math," Wyatt said, still fidgeting uncomfortably.

"You two started dating before Yang went to Beacon?" Ruby asked.

"Remember? I took that year off?" she muttered.

"Oh." Ruby suddenly realized why this was such a big deal.

"While it's not _technically_ against the rules to be in a relationship with someone outside of Beacon, it is _extremely_ frowned upon."

"I didn't want Wyatt getting in trouble cause of me."

"Okay." Ruby announced as she turned around. Wyatt and Yang looked at each with the same expression of confusion and shock.

"What that's it?" Yang asked.

"Yang you're my _older_ sister, and you two are adults. And after the explanation I understand why you kept it quiet. Just be careful with her Wyatt." Ruby turned and left after that. Yang followed still trying to understand what had happened. Wyatt just was thankful that it was going to stay quiet.

"So what you're just _okay_ with it?" Yang asked. "No anger cause I didn't include you?"

"No. Yang I would understand if it was the other way around and I was in a relationship like that, but you are an adult, and you made a choice. By the way I loved watching you dance, it was adorable!" She squealed. Yang just sighed. For once a decision she made on a whim wasn't going to bite her in the ass.

XXX

"What are we even doing here Wyatt?" Orion asked. The music in the club had given Orion a headache, and not just the volume. He usually only listened to classical music with little to no lyrics.

"We're meeting with someone who might have information about Torchwick and his stupidity," Wyatt said. "Orion I want you on the catwalk, I'll be at the bar, Fang you and Leah make perimeters." They all nodded and made their way through. Wyatt started talking with the bartender, seeing as he was the contact. Until he turned to the door and his face visibly paled. Wyatt turned and in came this blonde woman. The bartender instinctively reached for his weapon.

"No worries here brotha!" She threw a handsome amount of money on the bar as she did. "I will take a strawberry sunrise though, no ice!" She took her seat next to Wyatt and awaited her drink.

"Ain't you a bit young to be drinking?" Wyatt asked her. She gave a smirk and flashed her ID, it couldn't have been more than a day old. But it was official. "I stand corrected." The bartender returned and Wyatt continued his questioning.

"You're sure?"

"Yeah it was him. Took one look at two of my big guys ,threw some money on the table and directed 'em out. Haven't seen 'em since." Wyatt sipped at his drink as he thought.

" _Hey Wyatt, we got guys incoming_." Orion said through the earpiece.

"How many?"

" _Four, two girls packing heat, and two big guys._ " Wyatt paused and set his drink down.

"Hey look girlie, I know yer not causing trouble, but these guys ain't playin'." The bartender warned. Wyatt looked as the woman stormed up to them.

"What are you doing?" Wyatt yelled out, but the shot from one of the girls was clear.

"Get out of our way!" The one woman yelled.

"I'm gonna say..." Wyatt stood up and tried to intervene but a second later the two women went flying across the room. "Nope!"

"Hey!" Wyatt pulled her back just as the two big guys charged. Fang and Leah stepped in and sent them in the same direction.

"Hey hands off perv!" she told him. He pulled out the Beacon crest.

"We're on a mission, and you've just jeopardized it."

"Yeah well, I owe these guys an ass-kicking!" She punched him away and continued her assault on the two women. Orion and Wyatt dealt with smaller mercenaries that came their way as the women fought. Almost an hour later and Wyatt and his team stood victorious, unfortunately so did the blonde. "That's what you get for trashing my bike!" She was about to walk out until Wyatt put a shot past her ear.

"Stop right there," Wyatt warned.

"You and what army?" she asked getting ready to punch him again. But an arrow into her gauntlet threw her off balance as Leah and Fang held her still. Seconds later the police arrived and took care of the unconscious attackers leaving Team WOLF alone with the mysterious blonde.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Wyatt asked angrily.

"I was thinking I would teach them a lesson."

"And at what point would your little games have stopped escalating?"

"When they got arrested." She tried to leave again but Wyatt stopped her.

"You're coming with us." Wyatt ordered.

"Over my dead body!" She knocked Fang and Leah away and went for Wyatt. He put a bullet in her gauntlet and sent her off balance to the ground. He quickly handcuffed her and led her away.

"Orion take care of the cleanup, I'll deal with her," the annoyance was clear in his tone. He took her outside and towards her bike. It was the same color as her hair. He undid her handcuffs and started to walk away. "Get out of here, don't show your face around here again."

"What letting me go out of the goodness of your heart?"

"No," he said. "Cause you obviously don't know any better." Wyatt started to leave but the sound of her gauntlets charging stopped him.

"What the hell does that mean?" she yelled.

"You know how many people you put at risk here tonight?" he shouted. "How many lives you endangered? And for what? Some stupid revenge plot?"

"Hey, I'm a thrill seeker, just doing what I do best!" She defended.

"So what, your whole plan was to get drunk and start a fight?" Wyatt asked. He could tell that stung a bit. "How shallow and pointless does your life have to be?" He turned to leave again.

"Well 'scuse me Mr. High and Mighty. I know damn well who you are, James."

"You know nothing of me," Wyatt said angrily.

"I know your family business isn't so far off from mine."

"Ain't my family, and it ain't my business anymore!" he shouted. The woman held her ground. "You got talent, and you got skills. Don't waste them here just drunkenly trawling for another fight."

"Who are you to tell me how to live my life?" she asked.

"What if you had hurt someone in there? What if you had been hurt? What if you in your 'thrill seeking' ways had gotten someone killed?!"

She paused trying to think of a comeback.

"Be more careful."

"My name's Yang." She handed him a card. "If you've got anymore under city work I can help." Wyatt took the card and started to walk away. The silence was killing her.

"We'll be in contact."

"I'm sure we will be," Yang said quietly. Wyatt could hear the bike speeding off into the night.

"Did you make another contact or an arrest?" Orion asked.

"Get back in the airship, we'll be at Beacon in 30," he ordered.

"Yes sir."

XXX

"Rise and shine y'all!" Wyatt called out. The others just started waking up when Wyatt marched through. "You've got thirty minutes to eat and get armed. Then we start hunting." Wyatt opened up his pack and threw something at Orion. "I've two for you today, otherwise, yer on yer own."

"Are you slipping back into your old accent?" Orion asked with an ever widening smirk.

"Can't help it, been far too long since I've been on a mission like this," Wyatt said with a grin. "Uh, Ruby y'all got earpieces?"

"Uh, no, we just use our scrolls."

"Can't do that here, there's zero reception." Wyatt reached into his pack and pulled out 2 more ear pieces. "Orion, Blake, Ruby and I are all gonna wear one. Leah, you and Weiss are gonna wear the other two."

"Yes sir," Leah said.

"Alright I want us in constant contact, anything happens, you put it on the feed. The trackers and the leaders are going out to well known Ursa territory 'bout a mile away. It's the first place we're gonna start looking. I want the four of you to guard and keep the base, if something happens you let me know. Clear?" Another round of nods. "Let's get to it." Wyatt began happily whistling as the started moving to which the others of team WOLF joined.

The trek remained silent save for the odd whistling of Wyatt, until Orion started sniffing.

"This is definitely the place."

"You sure?"

"Positive." Orion opened his pack and took out a small package and ate it. His widened as did his smile. "Whoo!" He said. He handed one out to Blake. "Want one?"

"What are they?"

"Oak sap, mixed with some herbs, clears the sinuses." Blake shrugged and took it, and started regretting it soon after. "It's an acquired taste."

"All right, lets get fifty meters out, Blake you go south, Orion you go north. Report what you find clear?"

"Clear," Orion responded. Blake nodded and they began their hunt. It was silent for about twenty minutes as Blake and Orion both disappeared into the dense forest.

"So," Ruby began. "You and Yang, huh?" Wyatt put his head down with a chuckle.

"Not exactly the small talk I was hoping for but yeah, Yang and I." It was quiet for a few more moments.

"She doesn't have a favorite chocolate by the way, if it says chocolate, you've already got it." She whispered.

"Thank you!" he said with a sigh. "I've been asking her for a month, but she wouldn't give me a straight answer."

"So I understand why Yang didn't say anything, but why didn't you? If you don't mind me asking." Wyatt gave another short laugh.

"Cause I still don't believe it's really happening, or if I'm sure I really deserve it." He pulled out his revolver and started spinning it in his hands. "You ever heard of the Gray gang?" Ruby shook her head. "We weren't nice people, I've done a lot of bad things, there's a lot I ain't proud of. I lived up in the Gray Isles, above Atlas, when Atlas founded itself and got the surrounding isles in the kingdom, the Gray Isles didn't want it. We wanted to be ourselves. Well the Gray gang started it secretly, we fed off of war. But that didn't stop us from killing as many Atlas yuppies as we could.." He sat against a tree and stared at his guns as he took deep breaths. "I was in charge of a unit, 'bout 20 soldiers and a few of my gang. We were at the Mountain of Peace deep in the isles, we were told to keep that base free of Atlas until our air support came."

"You don't have to continue," Ruby told him. "What matters now is that you're here, leading your team, and sister as huntsmen." Wyatt gave another short chuckle.

"Thanks." He stood again just as Orion started walking toward him. Just like Kirby did.

XXX

 _Thanks again for reading, the next chapter get's kinda dark so you've been warned. Thanks again and I'll see you next time._


	3. Revelations Of Anticipation

_A/N: Welcome back! This chapter does get a little dark and I want to make sure that everyone enjoys my story. There is a lot going down here including flashbacks, PTSD, and death. This one lives up to the M rating. You've been warned, but enjoy the story!_

XXX

"KIRBY!" Wyatt yelled, the private shook against the rock clinging tightly to his weapon. "Kirby look at me!" Kirby shook his head and focused in on him. "Y'alright? How many fingers?"

"Three." Wyatt smiled and laughed.

"See? Y'alright, come on, I need cover fire." Wyatt picked him up and they ran to the edge of the barricade. Three Atlas mech-walkers were climbing. "Kirby?"

"Yes sir?"

"Cover me, I'm going for the Anti!"

"Yes sir!"

"Sergeant!" another private called out.

"What now? Where's our damn air-support?"

"They won't give us anything till we get a Captain's war code!" he shouted. Wyatt sighed and went to the corpse of the captain ripping the rank badge off of him.

"Congrats on your promotion, yer Captain Arron now! Get me my damn air support!" he ordered. "Kirby! Cover me now!" Wyatt jumped down aiming for the large gun on the plateau beneath him. The mech-walkers fired but their gunners were taken out by private Kirby. Wyatt aimed down and blew them away systematically. "C'mon y'all! Thought y'all was tough!" Wyatt jumped back up and celebrated with Kirby.

"You see that?!" Private Kirby yelled out excitedly.

"Hell yeah I did, but we get to see our birds light up the sky!" Wyatt yelled happily. Soon after the roaring sounded and they cheered. "Arron what'd I tell ya?!" He turned to Arron whose face had paled and had fallen to his knees.

"They aren't coming," Arron said.

"WHAT?!"

"They want to talk to you." Wyatt rushed over and grabbed the comm.

"Command what in the flyin' hell?!"

"You listen to me Wyatt." Wyatt's stomach churned at the voice. "We're switching sides. Lay down your arms and you won't be killed. Then regroup at the hideout." Wyatt dropped the comm and looked out at two hundred mech-walkers storming the mountain killing all in their path.

"RETREAT!" He called out to the soldiers. "GO RUN!" He tried to move them away but the bullets ripped through them before he could get another order out. He clung tightly to Private Kirby as he died, becoming soaked in his blood. The soldiers marched up but ignored him completely as he wept for his friend. The blood stayed with him, even as he tried to move on back to the hideout. All the way there the anger kept boiling and festering in him.

"Hey here's the prodigal now!" Jack called out. A leviathan of a man big enough to crush an Ursa to death, fortunately just about as smart as a pine tree.

"And here I thought you'd ignore yer pa again." Wyatt looked up as Earl lit up another cigar and sat down for yet another meal. "What feel bad that I made ya run away, don't worry yer good at runnin' anyhow!" They all shared some laughs as Wyatt fought the urge to kill him now.

"Heh, guess that's true." Wyatt walked up and took a swig from Earl's glass and spit it into the fire. "It's just business anyhow." The gang started laughing raucously.

"That's my boy," Earl said with a sick chuckle. "Now yer gunna take Jack an' the rookie over yonder and go meet up with that yuppie Atlas captain over at the plateau, he's gonna give us some new toys!"

"Yes sir, Jack, Rookie, on me!" Wyatt called. Wyatt didn't know exactly how it was going down but he did know this. He was leaving tonight. The captain stood where Kirby did once looking around nervously with an airship waiting behind him. The turbines whining was gonna drive him crazy but it gave him an idea.

"Gentlemen, welcome!" the captain said. "My name is Captain Ironwood, thank you once again for all your support."

"We do what we gotta, you got the goods?" Wyatt asked.

"Yes I have everything your Commander asked for. 25 light Air-bikes, two crates of assorted weaponry and the money. All of it."

"Thank you, what else did our Commander say?"

"Just that you'd need it to help keep order here now," Ironwood shook his head. "This war shouldn't have happened. If it wasn't for those damn Gray Gang cowards this war wouldn't have happened."

"Really?" Wyatt asked. There were very few that knew that.

"Yes, your commander really stressed that."

Wyatt smirked for a moment. "Jack, Rookie, count the money, get one of the bikes out for testing. Imma have words with you Captain." Wyatt and the captain moved away as they began working. "How much do you know about the Gray Gang, Captain?" Wyatt asked.

"Only that there a scourge in Atlas and I wish we had enough evidence to really take them down."

"Well merry frickin' Christmas." Wyatt handed him a scroll with a log on it. The captain eyes widened. "That right there is every single job we've ever done. Logged neatly for your convenience."

"Who are you?"

"The names Wyatt James, enjoy hearing it, tonight's the last night you'll ever hear it. My price for that is that you give me a pardon, enough money, and one air-bike to get me to the next town." Wyatt said quietly.

"Why are you doing this?" Ironwood asked.

"Cause I'm sick and tired of that fat-ass getting away with killing innocent people."

The captain looked around for a moment then shook his head. "I'm sorry I'll need a witness testimony with this, if we can do that we'll shut them down for good."

"Fine." Wyatt walked away toward Jack and the Rookie.

"Moneys all there an' the bike works fine," Jack said proudly.

"Good, but we gotta hitch." Wyatt threw out two bolas and watched them both fall on their faces complaining and threatening. Wyatt picked Jack up and helped him stay balanced. "Here's what yer gonna do. Yer gonna give Earl this little bit of money and give him a message: I'm getting rich without yer fat-ass, so you can shove it up yours and know that if you send any men after me Imma kill 'em all."

Jack growled and spit in Wyatt's face. "Theys gonna find ya, Wyatt. I don't give a damn if yer the bosses kid, yer gonna be gutted for this you coward!" Wyatt pulled all of Jack's ammo and money off of him and shook his head. "The hell you doin'?"

"Seems a shame to waste it," Wyatt said with a smirk.

A kick to Jack's chest sent him stumbling backwards into the stream of the engine. After a loud grinding sound, Jack was no more than a fine red mist in the wind. Wyatt sighed and pointed his gun towards the rookie who was close to vomiting.

"Change of plans, yer gonna follow the captain and give him a testimony of whatever he needs and yer gonna give him yer log, got it?" Wyatt asked. The rookie nodded and hobbled over toward the air ship. Wyatt loaded up on ammo and cash and hopped on his bike.

"Thank you Wyatt."

Wyatt gave a sigh. It would be a long time coming that someone ever called him that again.

XXX

"Wyatt?" Orion asked. "Wyatt?"

Wyatt shook his head and blinked a few times, he was on the ground looking up to a very worried Ruby and Blake.

"Was it another flashback?" Orion asked.

"Yeah," Wyatt shook his head and stood up. "I'm fine. Let's keep working." Ruby and Blake both sighed with relief. "How long was I out?" Wyatt asked quietly.

"Just a couple of minutes, not long."

"Good to know," he said and felt his guns in his hands for a moment. "Let's keep moving."

"Right, well you'll want to see this." Orion started leading them about fifteen minutes from where they were before. "I've got good news and bad news."

"What's the good news?" Wyat asked.

"I found a track."

"And the bad?"

"I found _a_ track."

Wyatt gave a sigh.

"The rest have been covered up, can't tell if on purpose or accident but check this out." Orion moved a few leaves out of the way and outlined the track in the dirt. Ruby and Blake's breath tightened.

"Thing's massive," Wyatt said under his breath.

"There's another problem, see the pad?" He pointed to the shape in the middle.

"What about it?"

"It isn't cracked, which means it hasn't grown. This thing is still a cub."

"Crap." Wyatt pulled out his scroll and took as many pictures as he could. "How long till dark?"

"2 hours," Blake said.

"Not long enough to get anything done, then?" Wyatt asked.

"Depends on how fast we run," Orion noted.

"Blake you follow Orion, that track is going Northeast, get as far as you feel comfortable then report back here, afterward we're going back to the camp-site." They nodded and took off, Orion's experience in the forest was clear when he ran. Blake struggled to keep up.

"Do you have those flashbacks often?" Ruby asked.

"No, thankfully," he said. "Though that doesn't stop them from being unnerving all the same."

"I wish I could say I understand but," Ruby said.

"Just be thankful you don't have them." They kept their vigil in silence for a few more minutes.

"So are you and Fang actually related?"

"Was it that obvious?" Wyatt asked.

"It's just you two don't really look alike."

"Well yer right. Fang's adopted. When we found her she was surrounded by fire and ash in the middle of the desert in Atlas. She sat there naked and crying and there was no one else around."

"That's odd," Ruby said.

"Yeah that's what we thought too," Wyatt chuckled out. "When I went to check on her she latched on to me, hasn't let go since." Ruby smiled at the thought. Silence had it's time until Orion and Blake returned. Blake was still trying to catch her breath, she was fast but not like Orion was.

"Did you guys see anything?"

"We saw one guy, but he didn't look like White Fang or a Torchwick goon," Blake said through pants and gasps. Ruby couldn't help but giggle a little.

"Nothing else?"

"No, but I did smell-." A resounding roar silenced the four as a charging Ursa ran through their circle. Orion and Ruby both had weapons drawn and were ready as it turned toward them. Wyatt clicked in his clips and opened fire, lighting the Ursa on fire easily. Orion waited as long as he could before putting an arrow into it's eye but it was Ruby who finished it off. Wyatt barely had time to register what she had done, even with his anticipation semblance. Ruby had cut the thing to pieces before he could even think. But what really caught him off guard is when she ran past them all leaving only a trail of rose petals in her wake.

" _We've got Grimm, three Ursa's, huge ones_!" Leah shouted through. Wyatt and the others just gave chase and arrived just as Yang grabbed an Ursa by the middle and slammed its head down.

"Did Yang just suplex an Ursa?"

"Your damn right I did!" Yang shouted as she then turned to punch it in the face.

"I made the right decision," Wyatt said quietly. They began the fight but soon Ruby got her team out of the way. Blake took special focus of Fang, and she was right to do so. Fang was dancing around the Ursa's attacks and biding her time, in a flash, faster than even Blake could comprehend, Fang cut clean through the Ursa's head leaving it split down the middle. The other two died off afterward leaving a not very happy Wyatt and a scavenging Orion and Leah.

"Oh yeah, new leather quiver for me!" Orion said happily.

"And I shall make new a new over coat for my armor!" Leah said with a grin.

"Can't it ever go smooth?" Wyatt asked himself as he paced.

"What?" Ruby asked.

"Why can't things ever go smooth?!" He leaned up against a tree.

"Well at least we won," Yang said. "No injuries, and two of your teammates are as happy as I've ever seen."

"But we lost the area, most likely the track, and now Ursa have our scent."

"We've got the guards to take care of it and, as we've just proved, eight people who are inclined to kicking Grimm ass!" Orion shouted happily.

"Language!" Wyatt said. Orion just sighed. It was quiet except for the sounds of fur tearing under a knife. "Let's just get ready for bed, I'll figure out what we need to do in the morning."

"Hey, Wyatt, it went fine, we did good," Orion said quietly. "It doesn't need to go perfect every time." Wyatt sighed and twitched his fingers. "We _could_ break out a jar or two." Wyatt just looked up with an eyebrow raised.

"You are either incredibly brave, have no memory of what happened last time, or you are the dumbest bag a' rocks I ever met."

"My money's on A."

Wyatt just gave a long smirk.

XXX

"Remember don't chug it, it's a long slow sip, followed by a long slow exhale. Otherwise it will put you on yer rear." Wyatt said. Yang and Weiss being the only two of team RWBY old enough to drink were the only ones holding the glass jars full of clear liquid. Meanwhile Wyatt and Orion were the only two dumb enough on their side to do it.

"What is this exactly?" Weiss asked hesitantly.

"It's my grand-daddy's recipe. It's strong, but if you drink it right, it's fine."

"Should we be drinking alcohol on a mission?"

"Well if you have one jar, you'll get a buzz and a light headache the next morning, it's more focused on flavor."

"Or if your dumb enough like I was the first time; you'll ignore him, chug one jar and get halfway through a second one before you black out then wake up the next morning dangling upside down from the flagpole in the courtyard." Orion gave a slow chuckle as he thought of it.

"At least you were fully clothed."

"Yeah, did we ever find out whose clothes I stole?"

"No they never came forward."

"Well I got a spiffy scarf out of it." Wyatt and Orion both shared the laughs as Weiss slowly put her jar down.

"Alright how long and slow exactly?" Yang asked.

"Follow my lead," Wyatt said as he popped the top off his jar. Yang followed as the three of them dove into the drinks. Weiss saw Yang's eyes widen when she returned from her glass.

"WOW!" She said suddenly. Yang blinked a few times and stared out into the woods. "That is a lot of pretty colors."

"Those go away after a while," Wyatt confirmed.

"So Wyatt, you've proven you're quick on the draw. But what else are you?" Weiss asked. Wyatt lost his smirk and stared back.

"A heck of a duelist, pretty good with my fists, most importantly an older brother," Wyatt said. He smiled and picked up his glass again.

"I'm sure there's more."

"There might be, but I've buried most of it so deep my own shadow can't find it."

"Some of it might be exhumed."

"I reckon it might be best if it weren't." Weiss and Wyatt shared the intense starting contest. Blake could see Fang getting really nervous.

"What did you mean duelist?" Ruby said, seemingly oblivious to the context of the other conversation.

"I was trained in the dueling arts, specifically quick draw and swordsmanship," Wyatt said, finally breaking off the stare.

"Then you use a rapier like mine?" Weiss asked.

"Tried it, wasn't nearly as fun. So I switched to a sabre." Wyatt pulled out his guns and combined them into a beautiful silver blade.

"COOL!" Ruby said as she drooled over the blade. He flipped it to the spine and balanced it perfectly on his little finger.

"Balanced, sharp, and ready case I run outta ammo."

"Then you wouldn't mind a quick match," Weiss said as she stood. "To test yourself?" She rose her rapier and took her stance. Wyatt was shocked.

"Are you sure 'bout that Miss Schnee?"

"I've surpassed all of my instructors in dueling, I believe I'm more than capable to defeating you."

Wyatt stood up and readied his sabre.

"As you wish ma'am." Wyatt stuck the tip in the ground and bowed as Weiss did. "En garde!" Weiss charged in with a thrust but Wyatt quickly swatted the blade away. Weiss countered with a slash at his feet.

They watched the duel go on for a moment before Weiss started noticing a pattern. Every movement she made Wyatt countered perfectly, even before she could make them he seemed to have a counter. Even when she threw chaos into the mix and just threw down a set of glyphs he managed to cut them apart before she solidified them. She finally set her rapier down and stared at him.

"You couldn't have known to do that," she started.

"Unless I knew you were gonna do it in the first place." Wyatt sheathed his sword and offered a smirk. Weiss saw his eyes change in the moonlight. "I can see what you are most likely to do, then I choose to act on whichever one seems right. I'm fast enough to be right both ways."

"You have anticipation?"

"Yes ma'am."

"What's anticipation?" Ruby asked.

"It's his semblance," Yang said with a slur. "You got anymore?"

"You've already had one Yang, why don't you get some sleep?" Ruby asked. She led Yang down to her tent as the argument ensued.

"Of all the people to be gifted with anticipation, perhaps the rarest semblance, and it had to be you."

"I ain't askin' yer forgiveness for a gift, you wanna get mad a someone, get mad at my ma. You find her first you can holler all ya want."

"Your truly going to blame all you've done on your mother?"

"What are you talkin' bout?"

"Do you know how much the Gray Gang cost the Schnee company in the better part of ten years?"

"Sounds like you don't need an answer to that."

"Or how often we'd have to send condolences to yet another family because they were killed in a robbery attempt that went sour?"

"It's my past let me bury it," Wyatt growled.

"Oh sure bury it with the rest of them right?" Weiss said. Orion stood up in between the two just as Wyatt lunged.

"You know what it's like to do yer first robbery at eight?" Weiss didn't even blink. "Or to kill a man at ten? Or howsabout when you get jailed at twelve?" Weiss tried to keep her calm. "I ain't sayin' you had an easy life, and I ain't saying mine was any better, but you best get one thing perfectly clear." Wyatt pushed Orion away and straightened himself up. "I am the master of my own fate, I stopped letting my pa control me when I had to see too many good soldiers die on Peace."

"You started that war!"

"NO!" Wyatt called back. Yang was stirring in her sleep. "My pa did when he wanted to make a quick buck, I fought with those soldiers. Private Kirby, and corporal Arron, they were my friends. And I had to watch them die at the hands of the Mech-walkers. So I ratted out my pa to captain Ironwood, took some money and an air bike and left."

"And you just happened to wander along into Vale?"

"Just the same as you," Wyatt closed his argument and walked off.

"Smooth," Blake said.

"The man is a criminal, some things don't change."

"You did," Ruby said. Weiss snapped her head around to her leader who stood with her arms crossed. "Blake did." Weiss looked over at Blake who had put her head to the ground. "Yang did." Weiss lowered her head and began to follow him, Ruby in tow. Ruby led her to the cliff overlook when they heard a shot ring out.

"How longs it been Wyatt?" Ruby and Weiss arrived to see a man standing over Wyatt.

"Not near long enough apparently." Ruby froze in her tracks. That was a lot of blood.

"Imma enjoy this real good."

"Funny Rookie, I didn't think you gave a damn." Ruby and Weiss slowly moved to flank them. Hoping for an advantage.

"Thems my family too,Wyatt. 'specially Jack."

"Aww, was he yer big sister?" Rookie put his knee in Wyatt's jaw and pointed the gun at his head.

"You killed 'im, right in front of me. And since there ain't no air-ship to kick you into, yer just gonna have to settle for a bullet to the brain."

"I'm surprised you even know what a brain is rookie."

The shot was loud. Louder than it should have been. Wyatt lay still underneath him just as the man turned to see Ruby and Weiss charging him.

"Well lookee here, got me some new play things." Weiss and Ruby started to attack, but he was good. He'd had some form of training. He was fast.

Ruby was faster. She'd dodged every shot from his gun. And had him backed up onto edge. He put a kick into Ruby's chest and grabbed Weiss, with the gun to her head.

"Now look here chitlins, this ain't yer fight. Nobody better make so much as a-!"

Another shot rang out and Weiss felt the blood fall on her shoulder. She looked up at the clean hole in the mans head as he stared towards Wyatt who held the smoking gun. He walked over and kicked the man off the cliff and watched his body tumble. They stayed silent for a while.

"Let's get back to camp."

XXX

 _Thanks again for reading! What an exciting adventure! Thanks again and I'll see you next time._


	4. Ignition's Spark

_A/N: Welcome back! This chapter is much lighter than the last but it still is kinda dark, you've been warned! Enjoy._

XXX

"Are you sure this will work?" Leah asked. She held the material in her hands as Wyatt got armed.

"Yes I am, and quiet don't wake RWBY." He took it and stretched it over his face.

"It's laminated kevlar in a paste, he puts it on and it molds to his face. It's a good anti-headshot motif." Orion confirmed.

"And if Professor Ozpin's lead is any good. Chances are I'll be needing it."

Fang grabbed his arm and clutched it tightly.

"Don't worry hon, I'll be fine," Wyatt told her.

"It's only good for one, so make it count," Orion said. Wyatt looked on Ruby and her team still sleeping.

"Listen, not a word to them okay, they can't know. If this is gonna work, it stays between us. Clear?"

"Yes sir."

"Good, places y'all."

XXX

Weiss promptly vomited. Even she couldn't say if it was from the blood, or what had happened to Wyatt.

"Sorry," was all Wyatt could say. The team was back and wide awake after Fang had finished bandaging him up. The shot hadn't been lethal, just placed so he'd get hurt.

"Well at least it worked," Orion said.

"Yeah, let's go back and explain what exactly happened," Blake demanded. Fang and Yang were looking more and more nervous.

"Fine, sit down."

There was a long silence before anyone said anything.

"First I want you to know that I never intended for you two to be involved. Or team RWBY for that matter. Until professor Ozpin showed me a picture of the man you just saw me shoot in the head. His name was Oaka Kidd, we called him rookie. He was a member of the Grays, and actually the one that I uh," he paused. " _Convinced_ to give a testimony to Ironwood about the Grays." He stood up again and reached for his water. "This leads me to one of two conclusions."

"Those two being?" Weiss asked.

"Number one, he either used being a witness to find and try to kill me. Unlikely since that man was the second dumbest I'd ever met."

"Or two?" Orion asked.

"Roman's playing my father in his endgame."

"You don't think it could be the other way around?"

"My father is smart, he's a good planner, however he has no concept of what the word tomorrow means."

"Meaning?"

"He'd blow every penny of every job within 24 hours of completing it. Now Roman is smart, much as I hate to admit it. Whatever deal he and my father had may have started out in my fathers favor, but as time has gone on he is now probably working for Roman instead of with."

"What does this mean for us?" Ruby asked.

"It means tomorrow we keep searching, hopefully find whatever compound their using. After that we infiltrate it and find out what we need to do to burn it to the ground."

"I've found that fire works well," Yang said. They started to break away for the night.

"Apologies for upsetting you Weiss but I knew he was following me, I had to make an excuse to get away from you guys."

"Wait you're apologizing to me?" Weiss asked.

"Yes, I did provoke you, it was necessary but I still didn't want to do it."

"But I called you all those names!" Wyatt paused for a moment then burst out in heavy laughter.

"Kid, I've met yer sister, there's nothing you could ever say to get me really upset faster than her."

"You've met my sister?"

"Once, and I'm really glad I probably won't have to again."

"Well that was definitely exciting!" Ruby said. "I can't wait to find that compound!"

"Why?" Blake asked.

"Please don't let the answer be 'so I can kick butt'," Weiss said with her hands on her forehead.

"Uh," Ruby thought for a moment but she hung her head.

"But before any that, we should sleep. I'll take first watch. I'll decide who takes mine after a while," Wyatt said. The others complied and made their way to their tents.

Wyatt sat up cleaning his guns again for about two hours until a rustling distracted him. He turned but was met by a push from the blonde. "Is everything alri-."

Yang smashed her lips into his for a few moments and moved to straddle him.

Wyatt finally gasped for air. "Uh, Yang, something you wanna tell me?"

She grabbed his collar and yanked him up from his seat and started moving him toward her tent, which she threw him into. "A little warning might have been nice." She started ripping off his shirt and went for his belt next.

"I can honestly say the feelings mutual." He looked around. "Soundproof tent?" he asked.

"I got it so I could watch cartoons without Weiss yelling at me, but from my experience it should survive this."

XXX

"I'm telling you it's a thing!" Orion said.

"And I still don't believe you," Leah said in her traditional monotone. They had come into the room to find it empty as their argument. Fang simply began practicing one of her dance routines with music. Until Leah finally had enough.

"You're just jealous cause I'm right."

"You are so full of shi-!" She started until Wyatt came out of the bathroom in just a towel, they could hear the shower running.

"Y'all remember why I slipped out of class?"

"Headache." The two said.

"And nausea, thanks to whatever you just brought into the room." He held his stomach as Leah produced the slab of meat she'd been eating.

"Sorry, sir. Do you want anything?" Leah asked.

"Actually, I think I do recall someone saying something about beef stew in the mess hall. If you could check that'd be lovely."

"No problem, Leah? Shall I continue to prove you wrong?"

"In your dreams Twig." With that they exited. Fang stayed behind and smiled.

"Hey, hon I think the library said they had your book ready. You wanna go and check that?"

Fang nodded happily and skipped off. Wyatt locked the door and ran back into the bathroom.

"They're gone, quick get dressed."

Yang hurriedly ran trying to find her clothes. "Where are my clothes?!"

"Under the bed!" He whispered.

"Did they see me?" She slipped her underwear and bra on as she spoke.

"No they were eyein' me the whole time."

"This is fun! We gotta do this more often!" Yang said excitedly.

"Yeah well, let's do it out there 'stead'a in here." She rushed and kissed him. "Not the time sweetie."

"Aww." She sighed and kept getting dressed. "But we gotta do this again!" she said.

"Agreed, but later." She pulled back and smiled big.

"So you don't have a problem with this?" she asked. "You want to keep going?" He gave a wry smile.

"It's an opportunity we could invest in." She started losing her smile. He wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her up. "That means yes, I want to keep going."

"I thought you were a stickler for the rules," she said with a laugh. She finally put on her coat and tied up her hair.

"Yeah well," he looked out to the halls. "Gotta enjoy what little rules you can bend." As she left she ran her hand up his bare thigh and squeezed. Much to his surprise.

"Except that isn't little at all!" She kissed him again then ran off down the halls. Wyatt went back and started his shower again.

"Gotta enjoy 'em while you can," he muttered.

XXX

"I mean he should enjoy it!" Ruby said quietly.

"Yeah but when he gets his ass out here I'm gonna give him what for!" Orion retorted.

"Maybe we should trust that our leader knows what he's doing," Leah said.

"At this point it's _who_ , he's doing," Blake said with a smirk. Fang joined in her laughter.

"Oh yeah laugh it up fuzzball, this is serious." Orion pushed past them but Ruby stood him down.

"I'm not saying it isn't but you know how tough this job is," Ruby defended. "Why not let him enjoy what he's got."

"Because it isn't right!" Orion argued.

"Says who? They're adults, let them make their own choices."

"No! I'm not letting him throw his career away like this. I'm going in there."

Ruby threw out her scythe and blocked him off. "I'm not letting you do that Orion."

"Ruby! This isn't our team's issue," Weiss said.

"You know who is in there, it is our team's issue," Ruby reminded. "So you aren't doing this Orion. That's an order."

"Excuse me? I'm a member of a senior team!" Orion yelled out.

"But you are putting _my_ teammate, and _my_ sister in danger." Orion stood dumbfounded.

"What?"

"You know as well as I do that there are a lot of people who want to hurt Wyatt, to see him fall. You don't think they'd take a cheap shot at Yang to make him suffer if they knew about her?"

Orion blinked a few times as his jaw fell open.

"You go in there and expose this, Wyatt will do the only thing he knows. He'll break it off to keep Yang safe, and I am not letting you hurt my sister."

"Ruby, maybe Orion's right." Blake said trying to defuse them.

"No I'm not," Orion said. "Leah is." He took a deep breath and moved back to his tent. "We should trust that Wyatt knows what he's doing."

"Good to hear." Ruby smiled and put her scythe away.

"But the second he comes out here I'm gonna-."

"Yer gonna what?" They all turned away from Yang's tent and saw him return from the overlook. Not Yang's tent. "I was just enjoying the morning air, and I couldn't help but over hear your little spat." Orion gulped. "So what were you arguing about, Orion? What are you gonna do?"

"Nothing, sir."

"That only answers one question."

"It answers both, sir." They both stared at each other.

"Good to hear. Is everyone awake?"

"Everyone except Yang," Leah said.

"Well give her a few more minutes."

"Sir you should be resting, you're still wounded," Orion said.

"I didn't say I would be going out," Wyatt confirmed as he grabbed his hat. "I know I wouldn't much use to you. So here's what's gonna happen: I'm gonna stay back with Ruby, Fang and Weiss. The others are going to accompany Orion and Blake to the site of the track and keep tracking. Keep all your findings in the feed, and Orion make sure you take pictures." Wyatt sat down in his chair and opened his scroll to the pictures from yesterday. "We clear?"

"Yes sir."

"Good, you'll begin after you've finished eating for the day, and Ruby?" She turned back. "You might wanna check on your sister, she might be a bit hungover." Ruby nodded and found Yang awake, but staring into space half dressed.

"Come on, let's get you ready," Ruby said. The rest of the morning was silent as Wyatt nursed his wound and his water. Orion and the tracking party prepared for the day off to the side. Orion still hadn't looked Wyatt in the eye.

"Everyone good?"

"Yes sir."

"Good let's get started, Orion?" He turned back. "I don't need to tell you to be careful, but I'll do it anyway."

"Yes sir."

"Be careful." The campsite was quiet for a long while. Wyatt had started whittling a small creature in a branch he'd found as Ruby and Fang kept watch. Weiss sat cleaning the dust chambers in her weapon as the hours crawled on. Ruby and Fang had just returned when Wyatt had finished his little wooden cat.

"Well we're clear, twenty meter perimeter set up!"

"Good, get in that habit. It's a good one to have when hunting like this, or just in general. Knowing your surroundings is essential."

"I can imagine," Weiss said quietly. She too had been unable to make eye contact with him since they'd found out about them.

"So am I safe to assume everyone knows now Ms. Rose?"

Ruby hung her head a bit and nodded.

"It wasn't Ruby's fault, she didn't say anything until Orion pieced it together." Weiss defended.

"Of course he did. I caught the last part of that argument Ruby. That was brave. Thank you."

"I did it as much for Yang as I did for you."

"Of course." It was quiet again as Wyatt began working on another branch.

"Okay, I have to know!" Weiss stood up suddenly. "How did none of us hear you?!"

"Whatever do you mean?" Wyatt asked. His straight face sent giggles in Ruby's head.

"I know Yang, I've had to be a roommate with her, she can't stretch without making a ruckus, how in the world did no one hear you?!" she asked growing more and more flustered.

"Secrets of the trade Ms. Schnee, you should ask Yang." Wyatt just grinned ear to ear. Weiss gave a frustrated sigh.

"How did it happen?" Ruby asked.

"You mean last night, or altogether?"

"You choose."

"Well she started as a contact for our Under-city work, she knew people, she knew how to get answers. I wasn't afraid to talk with her. After a while, I realized I was making excuses to go meet with her. S'all a bit of a blur after that." Wyatt continued to work on his whittling.

"Aww," Ruby sighed.

"Still now that everyone knows I might actually get to take her on a real date."

"What did you do before?" Weiss asked.

"Mostly quickies in our rooms when roommates weren't there."

Ruby and Fang both started to laugh but Weiss groaned in disgust.

"Hell what I can't figure out is how Orion didn't figure it out earlier. The boy's a star tracker and can read people, am I that good at lying?" Fang started giggling as she put her head down. "Fang! You ran him round?"

She nodded with an evil smirk.

"That's my girl." Wyatt rushed over and hugged her across the shoulders. "How'd you know though?"

She twirled her finger in her hair and pointed to Wyatt's shoulder.

"Shoot, a hair on my shoulder?"

She nodded. It was about that time that a ruckus started.

"Seems the others have returned," Wyatt said. "With a guest."

"Found him following us, definitely White Fang, and tried to book it just as soon as he made eye contact with us."

"Why does he a have a broken leg?" Wyatt asked.

"It's not broken!" Yang protested. "It's bruised at the most." Orion tossed him in front of Wyatt who then showed him the barrel of his gun. But the kid didn't make eye contact with anyone except Blake.

"Well see now we have a problem here kiddo," Wyatt picked him up and hung him by his shirt from a nearby tree. "See you have identified a woman who really didn't want to be. Now that places a lot of pressure on us you see because, we can either have you imprisoned, which could take a lot of time, and you could escape and warn all yer buddies. Or we could get what we need and throw you off a cliff, now you might survive! But it's highly unlikely."

"Wait what? No I just saw she was a Faunus! I didn't know she was White Fang!" The kid started to panic.

"Now see I don't recall telling you she was White Fang," Wyatt said as he loaded his revolver. "So my first question is how did you know?"

"I s-saw her with Adam!" Blake's eyes widened and she ran off. Wyatt sent Ruby and Yang after her as he continued.

"Good see we have here a good pattern going. I'll ask questions and you can answer them!" Wyatt finished loading his revolver and spun the barrel. "So next question, where is Roman's compound?"

"W-who?"

"Tall guy, orange hair, cigar, bowler cap?" The kid shook his head.

"I've never seen him, I get my orders by radio, we have bunks underground near here."

"Orion, could you verify?"

"If I get where he was, I could probably run a trace," Orion confirmed.

"Yeah you can, definitely."

"But you've never seen Roman?" Wyatt asked the kid.

"I've never heard the name, I was stationed in the city until recently, we got new orders to help this one guy."

"What guy?" Wyatt kept spinning the barrel, every so often stopping it and pulling the hammer back in a menacing click.

"Don't know but he looked kinda like you." Wyatt froze and grit his teeth.

"Wyatt?" Orion asked. Wyatt immediately pulled the kid off the tree and walked to the overlook.

"HEY! Aw c'mon dude I answered every question you had."

"Yeah but yer lyin' to me, and I don't like that."

"I'm not lying, he was huge!" Wyatt held him over the cliff by his collar. "Oh dust, c'mon I'm not lying."

"The man you are describing is currently rotting in an Atlas prison."

"Well not anymore, the guy just got it was supposed to be really hush-hush, but the I over heard the guy talking about killing guards on the way out." Wyatt held him a little lower and pointed his revolver below his belt. "Aw c'mon man."

"What did he look like?"

"I o-only got a quick look!"

"Then gimme a quick description." The kid faltered for a moment until Wyatt clicked the hammer back against his belt.

"Creepy, bad beard! Fat, really fat! Bigger than an Ursa I swear!"

"Did he have a tattoo above his eye?" Wyatt asked in a growl.

"N-no, but it like one had been removed."

Wyatt took a shaky breath.

"C'mon man don't kill me, I just wanna get a better situation for my mom."

"And the White Fang promised that?"

"They promised that for all Faunus." Wyatt threw him down on the cliff and pulled out his handcuffs. "Just promise me one thing."

"What would that be?"

"You find this guy, give him a bullet from me."

"Thought you were working for him," Wyatt said. He handcuffed the kid and pulled off his mask. He had cat's pupils that dilated in the light.

"Yeah well he's a bigoted asshole, he nearly killed a few of us in some joke gone wrong."

"So he really hasn't changed."

"Who is this guy?"

"A man I really didn't want to meet again," Wyatt said. He placed a beeping beacon on the kid and started to walk off.

"Don't hurt my brothers man, they're just," he paused.

"Just what?"

"We're just trying to help our people."

"Hmm, I agree, however the first step to that, is to admit that we're all people."

"I wish you humans would treat us like that."

"I ain't sayin' we're right, I ain't sayin' yer wrong, I _am_ saying this: if we don't unite soon," Wyatt paused and handed the kid a map and a key. "We could all die."

XXX

 _This party's getting crazy! Thanks again for reading and I'll see you next time!_


	5. Ancient Words

_A/N: Things are getting serious! Welcome back to Team WOLF._

XXX

"This is stupid!" Orion said angrily.

"How so?" Wyatt asked.

"C'mon! I go on all the infiltration missions!"

"You saw her fight the Grimm, you know well as I do that she is way faster than any of us."

"Okay, yes that I can admit. But seriously: Ruby, Blake and Fang?!"

"What's wrong with Fang?"

"She has neon colored hair! And Ruby is wearing a bright red hood and cape!"

"All to better to trick heat sensors with," he looked over at Fang who was dancing with Ruby. "And the better to trick the motion detectors and pressure plates." Orion's jaw dropped and he froze.

"I would like to retract my earlier sentiment." Wyatt raised an eyebrow.

"Really? No dumb comment?"

"No."

"Good then you'll be on the second team going in." Orion did a double take as Wyatt walked off. "The first team in will have the job of making sure that the other teams can get in. If that means knocking a few security guards out, or just cutting alarms you do it. Got it?" They all nodded. "When y'all are in, let us know."

"Yes sir!" Ruby said with a salute.

"You always this happy Ruby?" Wyatt asked.

"I'm afraid to see when she's not," Orion said.

"Don't take too many risks, if it's not plausible for you to get in, pull out I'll send in Orion."

"We can do it sir!" Ruby said again.

"I think that optimism might be catching."

"And that's a bad thing?" Leah asked.

"It's just uncommon, head on out." It was quiet in the camp as the others started preparing.

"Wyatt I would like to apologize," Weiss said unexpectedly. He looked at her and she could see the surprise in his expression.

"Why?"

"People can change," she said quietly.

"Yes they can." Wyatt offered a smile.

"You said something, about your mother?"

"You mean that I haven't found her yet?" Weiss nodded. "I haven't, my father was rather fond of one night stands, but one of them brought me along. I still don't know who."

"I'm sorry."

"No need to apologize. It's my mission."

" _Wyatt we've found the place the White Fang guy was talking about_." Blake said over the radio.

"Good, I'm going to hand you over to Orion and we'll start making our way there."

"Okay, what do you see around where you are? Be as specific as you can."

" _A bunch of trees, with four pointed leaves. The radio tower goes up a little bit above the canopy._ "

"Okay, what color is the bark?"

" _I don't know, a light brown, lighter than the other trees_."

"Okay that means that they've done something to the trees, look around and see if you can find if they've made physical changes to the tree."

" _Found it._ "

"Great what is it?"

" _I'm sending you our location, you need to see this for yourselves_." Orion looked over at Wyatt as they continued to make their way. Their campsite was put away and done up for the time being. At the very most they wouldn't be going back for a while. It was only an hour long hike from their location.

"So this is the tree?" Orion asked looking up towards the canopy.

"Yep." Blake said.

"What's so unusual?"

Blake knocked on the tree three times and a low hiss sounded.

"That is unusual," Orion said.

"Wait."

The tree kept hissing as a door slowly slid open and revealed a set of stairs.

"Ah."

"Right, well, Orion can you do the trace from here?"

"Maybe, but the chances will be better if I can get to their equipment."

"Fang, you go in there with him, make sure he's in there alone." They nodded and hopped in.

It was too silent for a few minutes until they heard a muffled conversation. Followed by some muffled yells. Followed by more silence. Followed by four White Fang soldiers unconscious bodies being thrown through the door by a smiling Fang.

"Good job, Orion still down there?" Fang nodded and hopped back down with a wave. Wyatt made sure to tie up the soldiers well.

"I've got the co-ordinates!" Orion yelled happily.

"How far?" Wyatt helped Orion out as he read from his scroll.

"About an hour and a half from here, Northeast."

"Lets go," Wyatt said.

"What will we find there?" Leah asked.

"I don't know."

The trip was silent, no more White Fang, no more henchmen until they found it.

"These are the co-ordinates, and according to the radio transmissions, the door should be just about," Orion paused and clicked open the lock. "Here."

"Let's go, Ruby take your team and go. Keep on the comm whatever you find."

Ruby nodded and flipped her hood up, the others followed closely.

"What do we do sir?" Leah asked.

"We wait for now."

It was a quite half hour.

" _We've cut all alarms_." The comm cracked with Blake's voice.

"Yer sure?" Wyatt asked.

" _Positive, no cameras, no motion detectors, and they don't have a clue_."

"Good, team two, go!" Wyatt ordered. Orion, Leah, Yang, and Weiss went in.

"You gonna be okay?" Orion asked. Yang couldn't tell if he knew what she was thinking but she was glad someone asked.

"You follow the plan, and I will be," Wyatt confirmed. Orion nodded and led the others in. Wyatt sighed and waited for the signal. He counted the number of bullets he had and started planning.

" _Wyatt, we're in. You're clear._ "

"Thanks, on my way."

Wyatt slowly made his way to each checkpoint. Until finally he made it to what was obviously the meeting room. Large, open, plenty of room for a fight.

" _Alright, what next?_ " Blake asked over the comm.

"Orion you know my signal, keep the others out of the way."

" _Wait what?_ " Yang asked.

Wyatt leaped off of the rails and opened fire, in three shots he'd taken out the two heavy gunners and the sniper. By the time he landed he'd met resistance with tomahawks. He pulled out his sabre and disarmed everyone in his path, either with his blade or by knocking them unconscious. He finally reached the man on the edge of the room and shot his radio off his chest. He kept marching toward him with his gun drawn. There was no one that dared stop him until the man started cackling.

The others could plainly see what the kid was talking about, he was grotesquely huge. Multiple chins, a shirt that was far too small for him, and covered in stains from his meals.

"I suppose askin' what this is about is outta the question?" He asked. His voice was low, gravely and with a thicker accent than Wyatt's.

"I'll give you one chance to surrender."

"Or I can have my boys over yonder fill ya with lead, and I don't have to worry 'bout ya again." Wyatt smirked and tipped his hat.

"Try it."

The man snapped his fingers but nothing happened except four bodies falling down to the edge, groaning.

"So thems rumors is true?" He asked.

"I've heard a lot of rumors."

"Yous one a' thems hunters?"

"Huntsman, is the correct word." Wyatt pulled his guns out again and took aim. "Like I said one more chance Earl."

Weiss let out a small gasp, barely audible.

"See, ya done messed up when ya betrayed yer pa."

"I will admit, I didn't miss the complete lack of grammar you possess."

"I'm sorry." His voice changed and it visually shocked Wyatt. "Would you like me to talk like one of them yuppie professors, you got up there?"

"I can't decide what shocks me more," he started.

"How about this?" Earl pulled a gun and shot. Wyatt let the bullet fly by since it wouldn't hit him.

But he forgot the ricochet and heard a pained gasp from the rafters above them. He heard Fang's cry of pain and the others shuffling to help her.

"Wyatt, who do you think taught you how to shoot boy?" Earl got up from his chair and walked toward the back door. "Now why don't we give these chitlins a show?" Earl opened the door and they watched six Ursas charge through, these things were massive, bigger than Ursas were supposed to be. Wyatt stood still as they charged.

A shockwave sent them all flying as Leah smashed down with her club. Leah held her ground and started chanting loudly. The chants were followed by vigorous arm motions and stomps. Her tattoos started lighting up in vibrant colors and they could all feel the energy in her words.

"Who the hell is she?"

"Meet Leah, our Battle-Singer."

XXX

"It is possible, but truly unexpected," The Elder said. he stroked his chin as he looked at the young girl. "I will need to see proof before I make my decision."

"As you wish." Al'kah responded. "My daughter, show him what you showed us." Leah nodded and stood holding the club she borrowed from her brother.

Leah took her stance and stomped on the ground giving a powerful shout. The Elder could feel the power in her words and see the effects on her skin. She pounded her chest twice and gave another shout, this time an Ancient word. The paint on her skin shone bright white then darkened to a deep green. The Elder nodded and began to speak until she struck the ground with another shout this time her eyes changing color as well. Another Ancient word and she struck a tree with the club, the tree shattered from the blow and fell with a mighty crash. Leah panted and slung the club across her back before returning to her position in front of the Elder.

The Elder's surprise was clear to see, but so was the worry on her parent's faces.

"You spoke of power, but this," he said as he looked at what used to be the tree. It was decades old, with deep roots and a thick trunk. But after two ancient words and a war-shout, it was mere splinters. "I will gladly train her, we shall make her a weapon and she will be trained as a Battle-Singer." Her parent's smiles relieved Leah, as did the face of the Elder. Leah trained for months with the Elder, after designing her own club the Elder trained her to use it as a warrior.

"Elder, is it not wrong? I should seek a husband, not train for war."

"Leah, as you will find in your travels, the world is much different than the ways of our Fathers. I merely train you to survive, what you do with the training is your decision. None can tell you how to live, as no one can tell the sun how to shine. Remember the words I have taught you and they will keep you safe."

"Yes, Elder." She bowed and left for the day. By the time she had returned her older brother was playing with her younger brother, and her older sister was helping her mother cook. "Where is Father?" she asked.

"He was meeting with another clan, he shall return soon. How is your training?" he asked.

"It is well, I have learned a full verse to use in war."

"It is good!" He clapped her shoulders and smiled.

"Were you not set to take the club?" He laughed a bit.

"I will in time, but the club I receive is not for war, it is for status." She watched him pick up her baby brother. "Father has always seen the war in your blood, it shall mean mighty things for you."

"You make things sound as if you are not being cheated out of your destiny, but I know what the others say."

"What others?"

"The others I walk by when I go to train, they stare and whisper as if I am a beast, or worse one of those dark monsters."

"They speak in whispers for they do not understand us. Our clan is different even among the Old Tribes, we have always had a deeper connection with what makes this world dangerous, but we take that and we use it to protect what we have."

"Children, the food is ready."

"Come, let us eat," he said. "Mother has roasted the boar." Leah smiled, her favorite meal. The dinner progressed until their father returned. Her little brother ran to him and he embraced him willingly.

"How was meeting, my love?"

"The same as always, simply negotiating the trade agreements. Soon we shall have fresh food for months to come." The family beamed and smiled until they heard something, it was a dark heavy breathing.

"Father?" the oldest asked.

"Shh." The breathing returned. She watched her father's spear spring out as he readied it. He pointed and led the older ones to protect the youngest. Leah grabbed her younger brother and her older brother led them all away. Something happened as they ran, her mother's scream pierced the calm night. She tried to run but her brother pushed her in the safe room. Her head collided with the wall and it all went black.

"Is anyone there?" She stirred a bit as she moved the furs off of her.

"Brother?" she tried to call out but her voice was stuck in her throat.

"I think I hear someone!"

"Mother? Father?" she asked again, a bit louder. A bright light suddenly pierced through her closed eyes. She writhed away from it trying to find the energy to stand.

"Who is it?" a voice asked.

"It is Leah!"

She felt a pair of arms lift her up and bring her onto a cold surface, she finally opened her eyes and tried to right herself. She looked into the eyes of the Elder, who stood blocking out the sun. Wait. The sun shouldn't be out.

"Where am I?" she asked softly, she didn't have the voice to yell like she wanted.

"It is a long tale, my child. There is much grave news."

"What happened? Where is Father?" The Elder's face dropped and she saw the shambles her house was in. "Father?!" She cried out, she tried to crawl out to meet him, to find him. "Mother?!"

No answer.

"Brother?!"

No answer.

"Sister?!"

No answer. She finally saw the blood strewn across the ground and the bodies.

Leah fell to her knees in tears and struck the ground repeatedly.

"There are no words I could say, my child," the Elder said.

"Yes there are!" She struck the ground again and the Elder could see her markings glowing. "You can tell me what did this!"

"We believe it was a dark beast, an Ursa." Leah stood up quickly and grabbed the club. Not hers. The club of her clan. "Leah you cannot hunt this beast."

"I can!" she shouted. She stormed off into the forest following the tracks and blood. "And I will kill it," she growled to herself.

The tribes watched her shape meld with the forest and worried. It was nearly a week before she returned, and looking far worse than before. But she threw down the body of the Ursa and shouted triumphantly. Some members of the tribes shouted with her, but it ended when she walked into the Elder's house.

"You said once there was a school, that trained people to hunt these things. Where is it?"

"My child, this cannot be your fight!"

"You said I have war in my veins, as all have told me! I will bring that war to these beasts! I will hunt them all down, and make sure there is no one that will suffer at their hands any longer!" she declared. The Elder nodded and gave her a map.

"Will you take your club?"

"No, it shall be the heirloom of my clan. That is how they shall meet their end."

"One more warning," She turned to him. "Remember the words I taught you, but know this. You can turn any word in something just as powerful as an Ancient word. The Ancient words have value because of how you hear them. But a word that you give value will be just as powerful."

"Thank you, Elder."

"Be safe, Leah."

XXX

 _Wow! Leah going strong! Thanks again for reading, and I'll see you next time!_


	6. Battle Ready

_A/N: So this chapter's gonna be a little bit different it'll be based around combat and each character get's a turn! Enjoy reading!_

XXX

"Get her to safety," Leah growled. Wyatt backed away and caught Fang just as she fell off the rafters. The wound wasn't lethal, but the blood loss would be.

"Yous think yer gunna survive these, chitlin?" Earl asked.

Leah responded by slamming the ground with her foot, and giving a war-shout. The Ursas didn't move, it's possible that they knew what she was wearing. She pounded her chest twice and gave a small chant. Her tattoos and paint turned to a dark green, and she reached for her club's hilt. She leaped into the air with one more shout and came down on top of one of the Ursas head. Weiss knew exactly what kind of energy she could pour out into her strikes but she wasn't prepared for what happened to that Ursa. She shouted in triumph as it collapsed in front of her. The other Ursas charged but Leah was ready. She swung in a large circle and took another Ursa's head clean off. She turned and knocked one into the sky and jumped to meet it.

There were six Ursas when she started. Now there were just pieces of meat, and a lot of blood. Leah gave yet another war cry as Wyatt walked up behind her.

"Why don't we skip the pleasantries and you just send out yer men, I'm in a mood to shoot something." Earl slammed his hand down on the alarm button just as Team RWBY jumped down to join the fight. Ruby had Fang on her shoulder. Wyatt happily shot Earl in the leg. "Weiss give me some Burn Dust," Wyatt ordered. Weiss pulled some out of her rapier's chamber. He quickly poured it into Fang's wound.

"What are you doing?" Weiss shouted.

"Saving my sister!"

Fang held the wound and knelt down in concentration.

"What is she doing?" Blake asked.

"Using her semblance."

Fang burst into flames.

Much to the shock of Team RWBY, and the mercenaries who had just arrived. By the time Fang had re-emerged from the fires, she was smiling again, with no wound and had the fires dancing in her hair and in her hands.

"I don't have to tell ya yer outnumbered." Earl called out as he sat back down nursing the wounded leg.

"What's life without few challenges, Earl?" Wyatt yelled back. The room was filled to the brim with Gray Gang and White Fang mercenaries.

"So what's the plan now Wyatt?"

"You take any of my guys, I will shoot you. Other than that don't kill if you don't have to." Wyatt reloaded his revolver as the others took their stances.

"On your mark," Orion said as he nocked an arrow. Leah began quietly chanting.

"Get set," Ruby said with a little smile. Yang loaded her gauntlets and Weiss took her stance. Wyatt clicked the hammers on his revolvers in sync with his order.

"Go!"

XXX

Blake did what she did best. She was invisible. The soldiers tried to shoot her but her array of clones and acrobatics ensured they never knew where she was. Even when she did strike at them.

Blake shot out towards a few of the White Fang soldiers and ran right at them. They were more than shocked when her clone disappeared and she appeared behind them with a kick to their heads. She dove underneath the hail of bullets and returned with her own before using the ribbon to launch and incoming Yang around to destroy their cover, and most likely, their rib cages. Weiss came by afterward and set up a glyph that she jumped on, changing the color and it's purpose as she threw out more clones. The soldiers were distracted by them but couldn't see her ribbon setting up a cloths line for them and knocked another four out. This promised to be fun.

XXX

Orion knew what it meant to hunt, after all these years. Seeing the look on their faces when the arrows pinned them down, was amazing. He wasn't invisible, or strong, but he could see what others couldn't. He was a hunter.

Orion took his position at the top of some crates and began pinning soldiers and mercenaries down to the ground with his arrows, but 16 in he was discovered and took cover. Arrows wouldn't work any more. He switched his hand axes and began his assault. A quick throw and he took one more down before meeting a hatchet towards his head. He avoided the thrown ax and replied in kind with on to knock his attacker unconscious. Leah swung her club just as one tried to sneak behind him. And he pinned them to the wall with two arrows. Leah followed him, knocking some out while Orion grabbed his arrows back. This was real hunting.

XXX

Weiss took care in her approach, even as the bullets hailed around her and the screams drowned out the other noises. Every single motion was calculated, no room for error here. Every strike, every parry was based on an action, not a reaction.

Weiss parried the oncoming bullets and readied three glyphs. One as a barrier, the other two as launching pads. She took her running leap and readied her rapier. Coming down hard on top of the mercenaries and picking them apart with expert precision. Soon after helping Blake with her group she turned right around and aided Ruby by giving her platforms to use her semblance with, the speed threw five mercenaries against the wall in quick succession. She turned again and let loose a row of freeze dust and captured six more soldiers. She scoffed and bowed, a perfect recital.

XXX

Fang was fire. She wasn't on fire, she didn't use fire. Fang was fire. She felt it in her veins in every step she took, every move she made. Every spin, every strike there was the fire. And right here, right now, there would be a fire.

Fang danced her way to the people, dodging every bullet with a dance move. But when they moved to her to strike they saw the fire in her eyes. She struck them once and they would fly, but she was quick enough to make three strikes before their feet would leave the ground. She only used her sword to deflect the bullets fired at her. But soon she discovered she could cut the bullets clean in two. Then their weapons into three. She spun around and kicked a man square in the chest just as Wyatt shot a White Fang's gun out of his hands. Fang kicked his weapon down onto his head. Fang felt the fire.

XXX

Yang felt it. The power, every hit they made just added to it. She knew it wasn't additional power, or a bonus, it was all her power and it kept growing. Every hit hitting harder, every blast knocking them out faster. And it was always growing.

Yang used a blast to send her flying into one of the mercenaries, and sent him flying straight back. She knew her hand to hand had a distinct disadvantage against all the guns, but she didn't really care. She knew that she couldn't lose. After taking care of a few goons with Blake, a massive man stormed up and struck the ground in front of her. She dodged and rushed to punch him straight in the gut, going next for an uppercut but he staggered back too far. He in turn whacked her and sent her straight into the ground. She stood up and saw what he held in his hand.

"Hey lookee here y'all! I got somma them goldy locks!" He presented them as a trophy to the raucous laughter of his allies. Then the whole world kind of went red.

The other members of the team collectively gulped and said a small prayer for the man. He turned back as her eyes lit up in red and her hair ignited. She dashed forward and jumped to punch him square in the jaw. He went flying through the air until he hit the wall, and just kept going through each wall sequentially. Orion held up eight fingers afterwards. Every single person stopped to look and watch as she raised her arms up triumphantly.

"Next?"

XXX

Leah felt the Ancient words stirring in her soul, and it moved from there to her arms. They gave her strength, but not as much as the others did. After many years of travel she finally understood what the Elder meant. The ones she gave value aided her when she fought. They ignited her war-blood.

After helping Orion with his arrows and after watching Yang send a man through eight walls, she turned her attention to a group of four declaring she should surrender. Leah instead drove her club into the ground, launched all four of them up and then swung as hard as she could throwing their unconscious bodies against a wall. She turned her attention to another big guy, much taller than her and with a huge sword. He swung down in a heavy strike but Leah blocked it and held him there. She felt another Ancient word stir in her soul and she let it out with a mighty shout and met each of his blows with hers, easily overpowering him and knocking him down. This is war.

XXX

This is what she wanted. All of her social awkwardness, all the trials of meeting new people, the stress of being a leader, none of that mattered to her right now. All that mattered was leaving bad guy creeps in the dust and kicking butt. Ruby is a huntress.

After watching Yang destroy one of the bad guys she turned her attention to Earl's personal guard. They wielded a variety of weaponry and all of them good. But she was better. The first one leaped at her with his battle ax, but her speed and scythe just blew him away. He flew away from her as the next one came with two swords. She deflected every blow he could make and used the rifle to blast him into a wall. The third used a mini-gun and littered the ground in front of her with bullets. She tapped into her semblance and avoided every single bullet thrown her way before slicing clean through the mini-gun and kicking him into the last of the guard sending his shotgun flying away. She truly was a huntress.

XXX

His fingers twitched above his holsters staring down every person in front of him. All of his life he wanted to make up for what he'd done. He stared at chances to redeem himself. He could see every single move they could make and a moment of concentration and he saw his clear path.

He drew his revolvers and put three shots into guns knocking them away before they could get a shot off. The next three bullets went into the blades coming at him knocking them away and then kicking the wielders in the chest. He turned to help Fang by shooting out another gun before ducking behind cover to reload. Once he reloaded he watched Ruby storm through Earl's personal guard. She came to the last one and shot past him as he unloaded his assault rifle. Wyatt flipped a coin out toward his face as a distraction, then shot the coin to knock his hand away from the trigger. After he had lowered his gun Wyatt dashed in and grabbed his waist flipping him over and knocking him out. He looked into Earl's eyes and replaced his gun in his holsters.

"I am redeemed."

XXX

 _Wow that was fun! Thanks again for reading and I'll see you next time._


	7. Addicted To Danger

_A/N: Welcome back! This is where things get really tricky! Major plot is revealed and characters are put in definite danger! Have fun and thanks for reading!_

XXX

"Well that was a good show," Earl said, nursing his wound.

"A show means that it's not real." He pointed to Earl's leg. "And that right there is proof enough." Earl sat laughing in his seat.

"Imma guess yer gunna ask yer questions now?"

"First one: what connection do you have with Roman Torchwick?"

"Shoot, that yellow-bellied stick of a man? I did a couple jobs for him and he loaned me some soldiers for the experiments he wanted."

"What experiments?"

"We experimented with feeding Dust to Grimm in hopes of getting them addicted," Earl said.

"IN WHAT UNIVERSE IS THAT A GOOD IDEA?!" Orion asked angrily.

"Cause if it worked with them, it'd work with _them_." He pointed to the teams behind Wyatt.

"On people?"

"Not just people, but thems hunters up in those yuppie schools."

"You wanted to get Huntsmen and Huntresses, who fight for our very survival, addicted to the ingestion of Dust?" Weiss asked. "What possible reason could you have for such a ludicrous idea?!"

"For the express purpose of takin' it away," Wyatt said quietly.

"What?!" Weiss asked.

"He's right, ya Schnee yuppie." Earl muttered. Wyatt shot him in the other leg.

"Gettin' them addicted to the most volatile substance on Remnant, takin' it away and purposely inducin' cravings and weakenin' their resolve"

"What?" Weiss was breathless at the fat man's ever growing smirk.

"He'd tried it a few years 'fore I left, but with no success, what changed?" Wyatt asked.

"Peoples is different, gotta tailor it, just like with them Grimm." Earl started to laugh loudly.

"To find each persons weakness and then exploit it."

"If ye can't beat 'em, cheat 'em."

"Where are you getting the Dust?!" Weiss asked.

"Whoo, she's a bit of a fireball ain' she? Just my type."

"I will shoot you again, answer her question." Wyatt pulled the hammer back and pointed it at Earl's chest.

"Same place we've always gotten it, from you little darlin'."

"The Schnee company?"

"No, from you, Winter." Earl said with a look of confusion. Wyatt had to hold Weiss back as she reached for her rapier.

"YOU'RE LYING, SHE WOULD NEVER DO THAT!" Weiss cried out on the verge of tears.

Earl pointed to his right at a table situated to the right of them. "My desk, top right drawer." Ruby came up and held Weiss away as Wyatt went to check. There was an uncomfortable long silence as Wyatt read the folders contents.

"Wyatt?"

"How long?" Wyatt growled. Earl stayed silent. Wyatt marched up and punched him in the jaw. "How long?!" Wyatt growled again.

"Since I got out a year and a half ago."

Wyatt panted heavily, Orion could see the rage building in his eyes until he finally snapped.

"Just when I thought you couldn't get any lower, ya pull this! I look forward to watching you burn! Ya sick bastard!"

Orion's eyes went wide. "Wyatt, language." Wyatt cracked his neck and handcuffed Earl.

"Weiss, you and I are taking a field trip."

XXX

"What is the meaning of this James? You can't just barge in-." Winter tried to say.

"Don't. Even. Speak!" Wyatt said angrily. Winter reached for her weapon but she stopped when she saw Weiss follow him.

"What are you doing here?" she asked her sister. Weiss just kept her disbelieving stare.

"You lied to me!" Wyatt threw down the folder angrily. Winter just skimmed around for a minute.

"These are just poorly-written lies," Winter threw the folder to the ground.

"Earl didn't seem to think so, those are from his desk."

" _Earl_ is in prison."

"Funny since yer name is the one that signed him out!" Wyatt picked up the paper and threw it in front of her. "How long have you been siphoning from yer own kin?" Winter's face paled even more than it already was and her breathing became ragged.

"Winter, tell me this isn't true!" Weiss said.

Winter's face fell and she reached inside her drawer for an envelope. "This was sent a month ago, when I couldn't partition away enough." Wyatt looked inside at the two pictures and his face fell as well. Weiss managed to get a look at the picture and saw her own smiling face, as well as Ruby's sitting next to her, but the photo was obstructed by the cross hairs sitting between Weiss' eyes.

"How long?"

"Ever since he was escorted out of prison," she said with shaky breaths.

"Why not report it?"

"I couldn't, you know better than anyone else what he is capable of."

Wyatt rubbed the back of his neck and started grinding his teeth.

"I'll need a full witness statement from you, as well as a testimony, if we can get it, there's no way he's ever getting out."

Winter nodded. Wyatt sighed as his eyes flashed.

In a moment Weiss felt her body be pushed away, heard the sounds of the glass breaking, her sister's cries and she could smell blood. Winter ducked to grab her and hold her, but she had no injury. She gave a scream as she looked at Wyatt's slumped over body. The guards came in and tried to assist but the chaos gripped everyone.

XXX

"DAMN IT!" the sniper shouted. He'd climbed all the way up this building for nothing. He quickly cleaned up the area and started to leave when he heard something else. He watched as Leah cracked her knuckles in front of him.

Leah knocked him off the building, as he fell Blake watched as he collided with her ribbon and get his foot tied up. By the time he stopped falling he dangled a few inches off the ground and Yang stood beside him cracking her knuckles.

"So. You just shot my boyfriend, so in return I'm going to use you as a punching bag until the cops come."

"Wait, what?"

XXX

"So it was a successful mission?" Professor Ozpin asked.

"You mean 'sides getting shot three times? Yeah, couldn't have gone better."

"We've also contacted the other academies about doing dust checks in the food and water," Glynda said.

"You're sure that was his plan?"

"Well that's what he told me, evidence inside the compound suggests that's what Roman was asking of him. In return he'd get soldiers, money, and anything else he needed."

"That is," Ozpin paused. "Disturbing at the least."

"We also took care of the Grimm, they're cleared out of that area," Ruby said happily.

"So all in all, it was a success," Wyatt said.

"Apart from the bullet holes?" Ozpin asked with a smirk.

"Well I'm not sayin' they were needed, but hey, what're ya gonna do?"

"Well done, to both teams. Starting tomorrow Team WOLF and Team RWBY will have the next two weeks off from missions, unless dire need protests. Ruby your team will still be attending classes but you won't be sparring for a few days anyway. I'd suggest taking that time to rest and recuperate."

"Y'ain't gotta tell me twice, I gotta fix my stitches, yuppie doctors didn't do 'em right."

Ozpin sipped his coffee and smiled. "I'm very proud of all of you. Ruby, you're dismissed. Wyatt I'd like to talk to you." Ruby gave a salute and skipped out of the room.

"What's all this 'bout?"

"At your earliest convenience I'd like you to join a meeting we're having. When are you available?"

"Whenever ya need me, who's all gonna attend?"

"A few interested parties, say next Wednesday?"

"I'll be there, I'll see you soon professor."

XXX

"So what's this about?" Orion asked.

"We're off for the next two weeks, but we have been asked to assist with the first year's training for the Vytal festival when class resumes in two days."

"Cool, what else?"

"Nothing."

The whole room blinked a few times in shock.

"Good job y'all. I've got one more meeting to take care of then I'm goin' ta bed. I'll be back soon."

"Wow he must be really tired," Leah remarked.

"Well he has been shot three times."

"True, listen Fang and I are going down to the new bookstore that opened up in town. Do you want to accompany us?"

"Can't. I'm going to visit my parents then hanging out with some friends from Signal."

"Good for you." It was quiet in the room except for Fang's light snoring.

"He's probably going to meet with Yang," Orion said.

"Good for him."

"How can you be okay with this?" he asked quietly.

"You mean besides the fact that it's his choice?"

"You know all the stuff he ran from, all the stuff he's escaped and for what?"

"If he's happy then I think that should mean something to us."

"Please if Goodwitch or Ozpin catches wind of this you think they'd hesitate to kick him out? All he's worked for, thrown away for her?"

"Ya make it sound like a bad thing Orion, so why don't you tell me why yer really upset?" Wyatt asked. Orion shook his head and turned to see Wyatt in the doorway. "And for the record I was meeting with Weiss, asking how she was doing. Thanks for asking."

"How can you do this?" Orion asked angrily.

"Do what?"

"Put all of this at risk?! Everything you've worked for, everything _we've_ worked for?"

"I haven't put anything at risk 'cept my own hide. And yer under the assumption that I'll get kicked out for this."

"You don't think you will?" Orion asked. "Really, how then do you think you'll be punished for hooking up with an under age first year?!"

"First and foremost, she's not underage, nor is there even a big age gap 'tween us, I'm 23 and she's 20 almost 21. Less than three years ain't that bad."

"The question remains, a first year and what someone outside of Beacon before that?"

"So what?!" Wyatt asked angrily. "What does this have to do with _my_ decision?"

"I'm just so shocked that someone who can't even tell his teammates about his past without Fang being kidnapped, would so willingly hop in bed with someone he barely knew!"

"We agreed we'd never speak about that again," Wyatt growled.

"Okay, that was too far, I'm sorry." Orion conceded the argument. It was quiet for a few moments. Fang was still asleep thankfully.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell y'all, but unfortunately Ruby hit the nail on the head. There are a lot of people who would hurt Yang to get to me. I didn't want to put her in anymore danger than I had to."

"Well I have a great solution for that, don't do it!"

"So what, the danger is there so just ignore it?"

"No, don't put her in any danger at all! The risk is too great!"

"But the reward is great as well," Wyatt said. "If I based all my decisions off of if it was risky or not, I'd probably still be with the Gray Gang or worse. I have no idea where Fang'd be."

"Please, our first year you barely spoke to anyone outside of our team, and now you're hooking up with a first year out of nowhere."

"Will you please stop saying that?!" Wyatt asked angrily. "We are not just hooking up!"

"Oh, I'm sorry, you must obviously be doing this out of love! Well Wyatt do you love her?"

"YES!"

Leah intervened just as Wyatt lunged at Orion, she easily held both of them back.

"You think I ain't spent my fair share of nights staying up worryin' myself sick over what could happen? Thinkin' about what would happen to y'all if something happened to me? The possibility still exists, and will exist as long as I live. But when I'm with her, that stuff don't scare me. I'm constantly watching over y'all, and worrying 'bout ya. She helps take some of that away, so that I ain't paralyzed by every sound I hear while on a mission. Putting Earl away fer a second time helps, but not near as much as knowing I ain't alone. That's why I take such care in knowing everything y'all do, so that ya know ya ain't alone."

"We know we're not alone Wyatt," Leah said. "You've helped us see that. All of us feel stronger because of you."

"So why y'all getting mad when there's someone in my life that makes _me_ feel like that?" Wyatt and Orion broke off and didn't make eye contact for the rest of the night. Wyatt readied himself for bed and crashed pretty early in the night. Leah and Orion continued the argument outside the room.

"What is your problem?" Leah asked him. Orion just shook his head and left. He continued to walk around the campus for a while until curfew. He sat on the bench overlooking the academy. It was his home for so many years after Thena died. Why did he still think about that? It was years further in the past.

If he thought about Thena, whom in reality he'd ever really known for six or seven years, how must Wyatt feel?

XXX

Orion landed in the forest gracefully, while he didn't actually think he would be launched in the air, it was pretty fun. He used what Thena had taught him and made his way carefully northward to the temple. He made his way silently for about five minutes before he saw a lone Beowolf. He nocked an arrow, got a full draw, took aim, and watched as that weird kid in the hat shot it in the head. He didn't even break stride as he marched north.

"Yo!" Orion called out, Wyatt looked up as he jumped out of the tree in front of him.

"Orion right?"

"Yeah."

Wyatt pointed north. "It's thataway right?"

"Yeah."

"Alright, let's head out."

Wyatt holstered his guns and stuck his hands back in his pockets as they walked. It was pretty silent.

"So it was Wyatt right?"

"Yep," he answered.

"Two revolvers?"

"And a sabre, you?"

"Bow and two hand-axes."

"Nice."

"So are you one of those, too cool for conversation guys?"

"Nah, just not used to someone trying this hard."

"So, just walk in silence?"

"If'n ya want to."

They walked in silence for a few more moments.

"Favorite food?" Orion asked.

"Atlas spice rolls, I could go fer about ten right now," Wyatt smiled a bit as he answered.

"Never had them, what are they?"

"Hot spicy meat and cheese in a fresh baked bun. They are the greatest foods on Remnant, and my ultimate weakness."

"I'll remember that." There was a tremendous crash and a number of men in gray surrounded them with guns.

"Hands high, Wyatt!" The first one said.

"You boys caught me at a really bad time, howsabout we reschedule for say next Tuesday?"

"You, yuppie, you go an' git."

"I didn't understand a word you just said," Orion said with a laugh.

"He said ya could leave now Orion, so why don't ya do what the nice man is saying."

"I would but I haven't found one yet."

"Boy, you best git, 'fore I change my mind," the man threatened.

"Well with this crappy idea, you'll need to change it but I don't any diapers with me." Orion and Wyatt cackled with laughter.

"Tell ya what, boy. Howsabout a challenge? First off the draw?"

The man chuckled and holstered his guns. "Yer on."

"Orion stand behind me, you boys in front of me." The six men moved in front of him and Wyatt stared them all down. Wyatt stood flipping a coin in his left hand as the others readied themselves. "Orion on yer mark!" Orion held his breath a moment before he said it.

As he uttered the first syllable Wyatt flipped the coin high in the air, in the moment of saying the word Wyatt had already shot the coin six times. Killing the six men on the sides and fired a seventh shot straight into the neck of the man in front. Orion stood stock still as Wyatt spun his revolvers in his hands for a moment.

"Ya know," Wyatt said as he sauntered over to the man holding his neck against a nearby tree. "When I left, I told Earl I'd kill any men he sent after me. But as you can see I've changed." Wyatt went around and pulled all the ammo from the men. Orion watched and breathed a sigh of relief when he realized they weren't actually dead, just unconscious. "But I will say, it's gonna get dark soon kid. Y'all best get outta the forest 'fore the Grimm find ya." Orion and Wyatt walked away as Wyatt started counting his ammo out. It was silent until they found the temple.

"So we're not gonna talk about that?" Orion asked.

"Nope."

"Got it."

"You gonna find out when you need ta know."

"Good to know. But seriously though, good quick draw skills."

"Many thanks, pardner, howsabout a bishop for us?" He handled the gold colored chess-piece for a moment.

"Yeah you might need one."

"Funny," Wyatt said.

"I think I am." It was silent for a few moments.

"Yeah, I can tell."

"Tell what?" Orion asked as they started making their way back.

"We gonna get along just fine."

XXX

 _Hey! Orion and Wyatt's first meeting! Thanks again for reading and I'll see you next time!_


	8. Silent Music

_A/N: The final chapter! It's been a lot of fun to write this, and I might be up to writing a Yang/Wyatt lemon later if it's requested. Thanks again for reading and enjoy the final chapter!_

XXX

Wyatt cracked his eyes open as he heard the door open. His watch said it was only 6:30 in the morning. He grabbed the pistol under his pillow instinctively as someone moved around in the room.

"Yo, Wyatt, you up?" Orion asked quietly. Wyatt sighed and let go.

"I am now."

"Great, I need to talk to you."

"Bout what?"

"I'm gonna see my parents today, after that meeting some friends from Signal."

"Right, thanks fer telling me," he said. He tried to sit up but gave up and just looked up to him.

"No problem, Leah and Fang are going to that new bookstore."

"Cool, I'll talk to them later."

"You got any plans for the day?" Orion asked.

"Don't get shot."

"Sounds easy."

"You'd think so but you know me." Wyatt and Orion laughed a bit.

"I should be back tonight, late, but tonight."

"I ain't gotta tell ya," Wyatt started.

"But Imma do it anyway." Orion said with a smirk.

"That wasn't it." Orion turned back in shock. "I'm sorry for what I said, I got too hotheaded and I said somethings I shouldn't've." Orion smiled and opened the door.

"Be careful," Orion said.

"Hey, if you feel compelled I would really love some pizza, or spice rolls. Ya don't have to, but I'd like some."

"I'll see what I can do, get some rest."

"I plan on it."

XXX

Orion knocked on Ruby's dorm room door, true it was only 7:00, but he expected someone to be up. He knocked again and was met with Ruby in her pj's, looking out as if he wasn't really there?

"Are you the only one up?" he asked.

"Idon'tknow," she mumbled.

"Look I need to talk to Yang." Ruby instantly got a concerned look on her face. "It's nothing bad, all that's over with now. But I want to talk to her." Ruby nodded and closed the door again. Orion tried to perfect what he was going to say. Soon Yang walked out wearing the same expression Ruby wore and very little else. Orion felt a bit awkward standing there.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing's wrong, I do have it on good authority though that Wyatt will be all alone in our room today for the whole day," he said with a faint smirk. Yang got visibly uncomfortable.

"Why would I care?" she asked nervously.

"We all know about you and him." Yang's face paled and her eyes started to water. "Don't worry it's cool, but I did want to apologize."

"About what?" She quickly tried to wipe away her tears.

"I said some not very nice things about you guys when I first found out. Mostly because I was confused and angry."

"Why?"

"I thought Wyatt was just throwing himself at you, and he was just throwing his career away, and after all we'd seen him claw his way out of I just got angry at you. And I shouldn't have."

"It's cool," Yang said rubbing her forehead. Orion hurriedly wrote down something and handed her the paper.

"A little birdie told me that Wyatt was really craving these. Here's the direction to the store and enough cash to get a whole bunch. On me."

"What are these?" she asked.

"Just trust me, he'll like them. Be careful you two." Yang took the paper back into the room and read around for a few moments before Ruby sat beside her and hugged her tightly.

"How'd it go?" Ruby asked.

"Better than I thought, I was really scared he'd get kicked out or something," Yang admitted, tears were still in her eyes. Ruby continued to hug her.

"Why?"

"He wasn't really supposed to be here. He sort of came here after he beat a man unconscious."

"What happened?" Ruby asked shocked.

"The man was getting too grabby with a woman and Wyatt wasn't having it."

"Well at least he's here, now, and he's with you."

"You heard some of what I said at the over look right? It's all true."

"That's good." Yang held Ruby's hand tightly.

"Every single time he looks in my eyes, I get goosebumps and my stomach starts doing gymnastics, then he gives that little smirk cause he knows what he's doing to me." Ruby laughed a bit and Yang caught her in a headlock for revenge.

"Well that's good too," Ruby said as she escaped.

"Ruby, this may sound like a really dumb question, but," Yang hugged her knees tightly and hid her face for a moment. "How do you know when you're in love?" she asked quietly.

"Well dad always said he knew he loved my mom when he looked into her eyes and he was able to see the future. Not the future that he was afraid of, or the future that other people made for him, but he saw their future. He swears up and down he saw me, but those moments that you have, where you aren't scared of what's coming, that when he realized it." Yang felt her tears on her knees and started drawing shakier breaths. Ruby held her sister in consolation for a moment until she saw the bright beaming smile.

"So I take it you're canceling on us today?" Ruby asked, hiding tears of her own. Yang could only nod and turned to give her sister a deep hug. Though Ruby's windpipe begged for release, she maintained the hug for as long as she could.

"I'll catch up with you later," she said after she finally calmed down. "I've gotta go shopping."

XXX

By the time Wyatt woke up again it was quiet in the room. It was only about 9:30 and he was feeling restless. Unfortunately he was also feeling the full effects of re-doing his own stitches. He steadily positioned himself and eased his torso up. He took a deep breath afterward and was strangely rewarded. There was an odd aroma in the air, familiar to him but he couldn't place them. He sat up all the way and his eyes were drawn to the plate on the kitchen counter.

"No."

Wyatt eased himself out of bed and hurried over to investigate. His eyes fixated on the warm, steamy, spice rolls sitting there.

"Orion you are freakin' Godsend." He quickly grabbed one and enjoyed the first bite in slow pleasure. He felt the hands against his back a second too late and someone had him just underneath his armpits. He quickly reached around, grabbed the person in a headlock, and threw them down straddling on top of them. He had the gun pointed directly into a signature Yang grin.

"You know I only see one gun, but I _feel_ another one." She said and reached up for a kiss. Wyatt threw himself back in laughter and pain as he tried to stand up again.

"Don't," he kept laughing. "Don't ever do that again." He buckled over in laughter and pain, but Yang couldn't tell which one it was.

"Come on let me get you back in bed, you dork."

"I'm fine, you just scared the snot outta me," he said as he finished laughing. He grabbed his spice roll and finished eating happily.

"Oh and by the way, I brought those," she said grabbing a bite from his and smirking as his expression dropped.

"Orion told you about these?"

"Yeah, he's the same one who told me you'd be all alone today." She happily ran her hands down his chest and leaned in for a kiss.

"Wait!" he said choking. "I got my mouth full!" he pulled away but she still followed and ended up tackling him and landing on top of him. He finally swallowed his bite and returned the kiss.

"You know, there's a lot we can do while laying down."

"I'm inclined to agree, but I gotta talk to you real quick." Yang smiled as she helped him up but she lost her smile when she realized he had as well. "I probably should also put on a shirt."

"I think it's fine." She enjoyed looking at his bare chest, well-toned and tanned. Also covered in an assortment of scars. She'd never told him but she always thought that was pretty hot. She reached out to touch him but she could see him get visibly embarrassed. "Oh come on, I've seen you naked before, why are you embarrassed?"

"I don't rightly know," he said with an odd little smile. He slowly made his way over to his bed and invited her to sit across from him. "It'll be a year in two weeks."

"Yeah," she said happily. She had a simpler smile than usual.

"It's been amazing," he said quietly.

"Yeah it has."

It was quiet for a long time. Too long. Yang felt her heart rate sink as he wrenched his hands together hard enough to leave his knuckles white. He opened his mouth a few times to say something but lost the will again and again. He switched between resting his elbows on his knees, and leaning back, possibly to avoid strain on his stitches.

"I get it." Yang said quietly. "I know why you want to break it off." Wyatt's face paled. "But I knew what I was getting into, I knew who you were, and I don't care." She stood up and he followed as she paced around the room. "I don't care who you were, or what you've done, me judging your past is stupid cause I've done my own bad shit that I want to forget. Don't you remember the night you met me? You hit the nail on the head, I just wanted to get drunk and start a fight." She kept pacing as Wyatt tried to follow. "But after I met you and I realized you wanted more I was scared."

Wyatt grabbed her hand. "I was too," he said softly.

"No you don't get it!" she said, Wyatt saw tears forming. "I was terrified, but not because of who you were, I thought that was the sexiest thing in the world! I was scared because you were asking something of me I couldn't do!"

"What?" he asked. "The sex?" She shook her head.

"What are you kidding? I love that." She fell to her knees in tears. "You didn't want me to run away you wanted me to stay," she said through her sobs. Wyatt fell with her and embraced her tightly. "That terrified me." She fell deeper into his embrace. "I don't want to run away Wyatt, I want to stay."

"Then stay." Wyatt picked her chin up and looked deep in her eyes. "I love you Yang Xiao Long, stay with me." Yang's eyes widened and she tried to look away but found herself frozen.

"I," she started.

"Don't give me excuses, cause that's just the fear talkin'."

"I'm not-."

"Yer not what?" he asked. "Yer not strong enough? Yer not brave enough? Yer not what?" he asked. He was purposely prodding and her strain was clear, but he needed her to say it.

"I'm not the one you deserve!" she said through tears again. "You deserve a princess or something, some prissy woman who knows how to slow dance and shit." She wiped her nose on her arm and laughed at it. "I'm a crass booze hound who doesn't know jack about life." Her eyes burned as she kept weeping, but not near as bad as the burning of her chest.

There was a stinging pain there it came back after all those years. All those years of running from her imperfections and drinking them away and burying them deep in the one night stands and bar fights she had. She felt every word ever spoken against her bearing on her, clawing at her chest and tearing her apart. Her tears kept falling despite her best efforts and she made no effort to be subtle about it. Then it was silent for a moment.

Wyatt picked her up to her feet and grabbed her hands and waist. Yang kept her face buried in his bare chest. He started dancing with her as she cried. She only looked up when she felt his tears fall on her.

"We can't dance, there's no music," she argued, trying to get away.

"What? You can't hear it?" he asked. Yang felt him humming deep in his chest. A small melody he repeated. "Yer no princess Yang, but I ain't a prince either."

"You're all proper and shit."

"You did just hear me say 'ain't' right?" he asked. She laughed despite her tears. "And you got it backwards, hon."

"Got what backwards?"

"The world would tell me I don't deserve you, Yang. That I'm a bad man, that I don't deserve to be happy, and I believed 'em." Wyatt kept dancing with her and she finally looked him in the eyes again. Her lilac eyes bloodshot and soaking in tears, staring into his green eyes suffering the same. "But I still got you, so the world can shove it." Again Yang laughed, deeper this time.

"Right! Up yours world!" she said as Wyatt twirled her around, her middle finger on proud display. "Fuck the haters!" she laughed through her tears as they kept dancing.

"I don't care what the world says Yang." He pulled her close. It was odd, they'd had sex on many occasions, but when they stood there dancing it was the closest they'd ever been. She sighed in his chest then shook her head.

"Remember what I said about making me feel girly?" she asked with a hint of disdain. He held her still for a moment and held her face close to his.

"I. Love. You." He was careful to enunciate each word and she could feel them as he said it. She felt herself closing in tighter to his chest, embracing him deeper.

"Say it again."

"I love you," he said into her ear.

"Again."

"I love you. I'll say it a million times if I gotta, but I ain't letting one more day pass without ya knowin' it." The room fell silent again save the sounds of their dancing feet and the song they heard.

"One more time."

"I love you," He said slowly, his mind was sinking deeper into the quiet of the room.

"I love you too," she said into his chest. It was muffled by he heard it. His smile increased.

"Say it again," he told her. He lifted her chin and saw her simple smile.

"I love you too."

"One more time," his lips were a breath away from hers.

"I love you too Wyatt."

They finally kissed and the room fell silent again.

"AWW! I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!"Ruby rushed them both and hugged them tightly. She was near tears herself. Wyatt and Yang froze in terror and fear. "THAT WAS ADORABLE AND SO SWEET AND ROMANTIC AND AWESOME!"

"Ruby," Yang said through still teeth. "How long have you been here?"

"We've been here since Wyatt tackled you!" she said happily.

"We?" Wyatt asked. Yang and Wyatt both turned their heads to meet Blake and Weiss' panicking faces. The room was silent except for Ruby's ramblings until Wyatt burst into laughter. Yang knew it was real, happy laughter. Yang couldn't help but join in, though Blake and Weiss were still terrified.

"That takes a lot off my chest," Yang said.

"You an' me both, hon."

"Do you call everyone hon?"

"Most people. Can I put on a shirt now?" he asked. Yang laughed and Wyatt quickly dashed off and put on a sweatshirt. "Thank you." Ruby hadn't let go of Yang in the time he'd gone, she was crushing Yang this time.

"So I guess, uh," Yang started. "We're good?" she asked. Wyatt laughed and went to his closet. He pulled out his armor and clothes.

"Imma shower then we're goin' out," Wyatt said happily.

"Out where?"

"Are there any bars yer still allowed in Yang?" he asked. Yang thought heavily for a moment, occasionally shaking her head.

"Uh, there's Junior's, but it's more of a night club."

"But you _are_ allowed in there?"

"Yeah why?"

"Hell, we got the day off. Imma enjoy it. Don't much care where it is, as long as yer there."

"How romantic, and grammatically incorrect." Yang teased. Ruby finally unhinged herself from Yang and skipped back toward Weiss and Blake.

"What'd ya expect?"

"Nothing else."

"Y'all can head back ta yer room now, Yang an' I are gonna head out after I'm changed." Ruby skipped away happily with Weiss in tow. Blake just winked at them with a sly smirk and locked the door before she closed it.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Yang asked as she nearly ripped her coat and shirt off.

"Well I ain't showered alone in almost a full year, why break that streak?" He grabbed her by the waist and almost carried her into the shower.

"So does this mean no more adventure quickies?"

"Oh hell no!" he said as he pulled her pants down. "It means we get to try even riskier stuff!"

"Great minds think alike!"

XXX

 _Thanks again for reading, it was so much fun to write this! Good night and Good luck._


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